Occupy Little Rock
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Little Rock Government / Occupy Little Rock / Protest Lance Hines' real beef with Occupy Little Rock
Now it appears Lance Hines had a deeper concern — anarchy and revolution. Which means, of course, that it really was a political move on his part to squelch the protest. Which the city did. Hines doesn't call me, so I'll just let his e-mail exchange with one of the arrested protesters speak for itself on the issue. It won't lift your confidence in our City Board of Directors.
Hines said he saw a self-proclaimed Occupy Wall Street anarchist on the Sean Hannity show and that was proof enough for Lance Hines of what the Occupy movement is about. Occupy LR may not be a bunch of anarchists — maybe they're merely unaesthetic blights on the landscape — but Hines said in a note to Mac Miller, arrested in the Occupy LR eviction, "You are the friends you keep, in other words."
Miller, a military veteran with cogent thoughts on why Occupy is protesting, wasn't happy about Hines' description of him.
The exchange was provided to me by Robert Johnston.
Posted by Max Brantley on | Permalink | Comments (48)
Friday, October 21, 2011
Occupy Little Rock Occupy Little Rock occupies Clinton Library grounds
Members of the Occupy Little Rock group have set up camp outside the Clinton Library, video contributor Gabe Gentry reports. Around 65 are gathered currently with chimineas and grills and pizzas. Thirty plan to camp and remain indefinitely, Gentry said, though a police cruiser had just arrived on the scene to idle 30 yards from the protesters around 8:15 p.m.
I'm going to go take a look as soon as I'm able. More when I've got it.
UPDATE: It looks like the police aren't going to try to disperse the crowd. The protesters have a chiminea going now that they lit only after first getting permission from one of the police officers on the scene.
UPDATE II: Gentry, with Mindful Media Productions, sends along this video from last night.
UPDATE III — In response to a question: The grounds and parking lot are all part of the 30 acres owned by Little Rock on which the Clinton Presidential Center sits. A Clinton Foundation spokesman said it would not be commenting because it's essentially a political matter. I've sent a note to City Hall about the city's outlook on a long-term encampment, but haven't gotten a response yet. 1st Amendment assemblies put the group in a different category than transient campers (though if the transients though to assert that they were making a political statement by their sleepouts, they, too, would have some protection. Same with city's curfew ordiinance. A smart-tbinking youth can assert he or she is making a political statement by staying out late and defeat an arrest.)
Posted by Lindsey Millar on | Permalink | Comments (30)
Monday, October 17, 2011
Occupy Little Rock Video of Occupy Little Rock march
More from Saturday's protest from Gabe Gentry, a local filmmaker who works with video production company Mindful Media Productions. Lots of good footage of signs.
ALSO: Nate Silver of the New York Times takes a try at a worldwide crowd count, which includes 500 in Little Rock.
Posted by Lindsey Millar on | Permalink | Comments (16)
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Occupy Little Rock VIDEO: Occupy LR planning meeting, part 2
Videographer Gabe Gentry with Mindful Media Productions made it out to the second planning meeting for Occupy Little Rock last night, and came back with some very enlightening video from the proceedings. At that meeting, OLR voted on a time and locations for this Saturday's protest march and anti-corporate picket (Riverfest Amphitheater at 9 a.m.).
I attended last night's meeting as well, and have some editorial comment on the jump. From Gabe's video, it sounds like my feelings dovetail fairly well with those of some of the other folks in the crowd.
Posted by David Koon on | Permalink | Comments (29)
Monday, October 10, 2011
Occupy Little Rock Occupy LR picks time and locations for protest march
Around 100 were on hand for tonight's Occupy Little Rock planning meeting, the second since the group formed in Little Rock earlier this month. Organizers and attendees struggled with a somewhat complicated voting-by-hand-signals process, but the assembly did get some key points ironed out, including the start time and place for this Saturday's march, and locations the group plans to picket.
Protestors with Occupy Little Rock will assemble this Saturday morning at 9 a.m. at Riverfest Amphitheater near the River Market. The march will begin at 10 a.m., with the group proceeding to the headquarters of Stephens Inc., the Little Rock branch of Bank of America, the U.S. Federal Building and the Arkansas State Capitol.
The group is currently compiling membership lists and plans to vote soon to choose leadership for a number of working groups within the larger Occupy Little Rock movement, including legal, medical, public relations and tech teams. Organizers said they're also currently looking for a place in Little Rock where they can camp out overnight, which will serve as a central hub for what they say will be an ongoing protest.
Those interested in signing up for a group or learning more about the movement can visit the Occupy Little Rock Facebook page.
Posted by David Koon on | Permalink | Comments (25)
Friday, October 7, 2011
Economy / Occupy Little Rock VIDEO: Occupy Little Rock planning meeting
Videographer Gabe Gentry caught some video of the Oct. 4 planning meeting of Occupy Little Rock — our home-grown offshoot of the Occupy Wall Street protests in New York City — as the local movement continues to gel. Earnest young folks and seasoned old-timers coming together in solidarity against the slow slide to Plutocracy? Sounds like a plan to us.
Occupy Little Rock will be holding their next meeting from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, October 10 at Riverfest Amphitheater near the River Market.
Posted by David Koon on | Permalink | Comments (45)
Economy / Occupy Little Rock Krugman cheers Occupy Wall Street
The NY Times' Paul Krugman cheers the Occupy Wall Street movement. He offers some caveats, but his core explanation of the justification for demonstrations is worth noting:
In the first act, bankers took advantage of deregulation to run wild (and pay themselves princely sums), inflating huge bubbles through reckless lending. In the second act, the bubbles burst — but bankers were bailed out by taxpayers, with remarkably few strings attached, even as ordinary workers continued to suffer the consequences of the bankers’ sins. And, in the third act, bankers showed their gratitude by turning on the people who had saved them, throwing their support — and the wealth they still possessed thanks to the bailouts — behind politicians who promised to keep their taxes low and dismantle the mild regulations erected in the aftermath of the crisis.Given this history, how can you not applaud the protesters for finally taking a stand?
FYI:
Occupy Little Rock Facebook page.
Occupy Fayetteville, Facebook page.
Occupy Arkansas, Facebook page.
Posted by Max Brantley on | Permalink | Comments (23)
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Occupy Little Rock Occupy Little Rock organizing
An organizer for Occupy Little Rock, an outgrowth of the Occupy Wall Street effort, says the group will hold an organizational meeting from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, Oct. 10, at the River Market amphitheater.
Posted by Max Brantley on | Permalink | Comments (58)
Event Calendar
-
Re: The Riverfest line — Sign the ethics petition
For the benefit of the trolls, Outie just assumes that you understand that both Adam…
- on May 25, 2012
-
Re: The Riverfest line — Sign the ethics petition
Some commie/pinko/socialist said this:
“This disposition to admire, and almost to worship, the rich…- on May 25, 2012
-
Re: Little Rock can do better than ditches
When I read this week that our state was 50th in bicycle safety, I wasn't…
- on May 25, 2012
Top Commenters
Site Index
News
Cover Story / Arkansas Reporter / The Week That Was / Smart Talk / The Insider / The Observer / Editorial / Max Brantley / Ernest Dumas / Gene Lyons / Bob Lancaster / Words / Guest Writer / Letters
Entertainment
A&E Feature / To-Do List / In Brief / Movie Reviews / Music Reviews / Theater Reviews / A&E News / Art Notes / Graham Gordy / Books / Media / Dining Reviews / Dining Guide / What's Cookin' / Calendar / The Televisionist / Movie Listings / Gallery Listings
Slideshows
-
Police close the Occupy Little Rock camp, perhaps the last Occupy encampment on public land.
Fox16 Local News and Weather
-
2 have minor injuries after plane crashes in Ark.
May 25, 2012Authorities in western Arkansas say two people suffered minor injuries when the small plane they were in crashed while trying to make an emergency landing in Ozark. fox16.com /more/ -
Baxter County man found dead at Salesville resort
May 25, 2012Baxter County authorities say a man has been found dead at Peal's Resort in Salesville near Mountain Home. fox16.com /more/
This Week's Cover
Quick Links
Special Publications
RSS
Facebook
Twitter
