Kinda awestruck right now. Protesters at #OccupyCityHall NYC talked about, voted on, then organized a defense of the encampment, then successfully pushed back a massive horde of NYPD riot cops early this morning.
Here's how these five incredible hours went down:
Here's how these five incredible hours went down:
Shortly before 3:00 am, people call for a general assembly, for which a majority of the protesters who decided to stay overnight (a few hundred) gather. A (very skilled) facilitator takes the mic to address the pressing issues of the encampment.
First issue: The budget vote is over -- do we stay or do we leave? A few who feel strongly take turns at the the mic. There's some emotional testimony from some who were at the violent and injury-ridden police raid on the encampment the morning prior.
champ.gothamist.com/champ/gothamis…
champ.gothamist.com/champ/gothamis…
People suggest taking a blind vote of the Black folks present, then a blind vote of everyone else. Even though everyone expects another raid, both groups vote overwhelmingly to stay.
Next issue: How much space do we hold tonight? Earlier, some protesters had taken it upon themselves to barricade the surrounding streets. So do they take and guard those streets or stay in and only guard the encampment?
This issue doesn't even need a vote -- there's overwhelming support for keeping to the encampment, both because of the previous morning's violence and because of the insufficient number of protesters present to take the streets.
Next issue: Do we take the barriers down or leave them up? It takes two votes, but, for a variety of reasons, a clear majority elects to keep them up.
Last issue: How do we protect ourselves from the inevitable (and impending -- it's around 4:00 at this point) early morning raid? It's pretty clear: People start discussing different ways to form a human wall around the encampment.
It's around 4:30 when mostly everybody gets into position. Leaders start talking tactics -- number of lines, each line's job, how to avoid cop engagement, how to de-arrest, how to handle being pepper sprayed, how to call a medic. Front lines are given helmets and eye protection.
The cops start rolling in -- quickly -- around 5:30 or 6:00 (I lost track). They come from several directions, and once they're all there, it looks like there are as many riot cops as there are protesters on the lines.
The cops start by tearing down the street barricades. Then they go after the curb barricades, which are right in front of the protesters. Things get violent as they start tearing away. A few people get pepper sprayed. I'm not aware of any arrests or non-pepper spray injuries.
At points, the struggle turns into a rugby match -- with cops and protesters pushing against each other at the curb. Some backline protesters get horizontal trying to prevent their comrades from being pushed back.
Protesters hold the line. Eventually the cops back into the middle of the road. There's a verrrrry long standoff while the riot cops wait for crews to load the debris from the barricades onto trucks. Cops eventually start to leave. The last of the cops don't walk away until 7:34.
🔊 "Hey hey hey goodbye"
Celebration 🎉 "You about to lose yo job." The protesters keep one line in place just to be safe, while the rest of the group retreats to the middle of the encampment -- time for food, water, guided meditation, debriefing, cleaning, resting, and waiting for replacements.
At the debrief, there's widespread acknowledgment that everybody is learning -- very quickly getting better at communicating and organizing, to keep the movement and momentum going. And today was a testament to that.
The City Hall encampment is, for now, here to stay.
For tonight: 
