Thousands convened in Union Square in New York City on May Day for a rally that was only one of many like it taking place around the world. At Union Square, the day went from cloudy to bright as clusters of red balloons drifted upward into the sky and diverse groups shared signs and discussed how the Occupy Movement that began last September is gaining power and momentum.
More than a dozen members of Occupy Bergen County joined the students, members of Occupy Wall Street, and representatives from Labor Unions, Code Pink, Veterans for Peace, the May 1st Coalition for Immigrant Rights, and various religious groups in Union Square, bearing signs that were familiar-– “We are the 99-percent,” and also new--“This is so far from over.” It was a day when all around the globe people left their jobs to stand in solidarity for basic rights and social justice, becoming conscientious objectors together to an oppressive system that has taken advantage of the poor and middle class everywhere.
Early in the evening protestors stretching across approximately 15 blocks marched
past Zuccotti Park, the site of the first OWS home, to Bowling Green Park. By
some estimates, there were 30,000 demonstrators on the streets. Late in
the day, according to the New York Daily News, there were 15 arrests for
disorderly conduct, but despite the huge numbers of people protesting and the high energy and mood of the day, there were remarkably few incidents of vandalism, according to police.
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The solidarity was not just a show, but represented diverse action taking place right now to help create a better world, the one activists have been calling for and dreaming is possible as an alternative to what exists now. Many activists and groups have long recognized that change will not come from on high from the powers that be, but from grassroots efforts, the people themselves. Protesting has given way to manifestation, and the Internet, which launched Occupy, remains a powerful tool--not just for networking information about events such as protests and live streaming, but as a way to help bring ideas to fruition.
Demonstrations continue to be an important tool for change, helping to make the public and legislators aware of what is happening and what needs to change. Occupy Bergen County recently demonstrated in front of Bank of America in Hackensack, bringing attention to the mortgage crisis. And in New York City, the work of Occupy Wall Street has expanded to include the launching of a Free University. The Occupy Movement remains no more still in its evolution than the earth on its axis, and like the earth itself, may move imperceptibly, but is in fact mushrooming, in spite of opposition and with increasing force and diversity.
