As winter approaches, we're seeing news reports on how the weather is the next big test for OWS. The NYT reported the other day:"There is concern in the movement that the effort needed to stay warm — for this storm and those to follow — could eventually be a drain on the movement’s intellectual energies; and, of course, on its numbers."
Indeed, the elements present a challenge for the protesters. But, as experience elsewhere has shown, non-violent protests in freezing temperatures can be done and, in fact, adverse weather can be an opportunity in disguise. Let's look at two examples in Ukraine and Russia, places with harsher winters than the East Coast.
Back in November-December of 2004, thousands of protesters created a tent city in the central square of Ukraine's capital Kiev. They protested - and prevailed - against the ruling elite who were falsifying the results of a presidential election.
The protesters were well organized. As the NYT reported:"Within minutes they pitched tents, posted unarmed sentries and produced mounds of food and winter clothing. Within hours they set up field kitchens and medical aid stations, circulated broadsheets outlining details for civil disobedience and urging the police not to shoot, and passed out a seemingly endless supply of posters, banners, ribbons, flags, stickers and badges that turned the ever expanding crowd into a telegenic bright orange. The planning behind the youth occupation could not be missed."
The protesters were also resourceful. While using consumer-grade camping gear for shelter and relying on sympathetic city residents for food, they, apparently, also brought in some unusual supplies: Soviet-era military equipment. Each USB-59 tent is large enough to house 40 people and a KP-130 field kitchen can prepare 130 two-course meals every 90 minutes or so.
Another remarkable case is the protest that took place in Moscow from June to December of last year. Village elders from Russia's North Caucasus republic of Kabardino-Balkaria came to Moscow to protest against policies of local authorities in their native region. They staged a hunger strike on a square next to the Kremlin. Not allowed to set up tents, the Balkars used benches that were there already.
In the summer, when the group didn't stand out and resembled a bunch of retired Muscovites enjoying the outdoors, their story received scant mention in the news. But when the weather turned cold and it started to snow, the image of the Balkars' protest became dramatic and their story gained more coverage domestically and appeared in international news media.
Photos of snow-covered old men braving temperatures that were dropping to -13 °F are, indeed, moving. And the protesters look particularly impressive, thanks to being dressed in traditional clothes of the Caucausus: burka, a sleveless felt coat; bashlyk, a hood with lappets that can be wrapped around the neck; and papakha, the Astrakhan hat.
Closer to home, the example of Concepcion Picciotto shows that an outdoors protest can be sustained practically indefinitely. This Spanish-American woman has lived in a tent across from the White House since 1981, in protest against nuclear arms.
The effectiveness of a protest is another matter. The images of ordinary people staging a protest through the harsh cold, snow and sleet are hard to dismiss or ignore. They are also likely to grab the broader public's attention. Whether all that will translate into a greater public support for the protesters depends on the movement's ability to succeed with the "we are you" message. I will talk more about that in a future post.
The coming frost and snow are a great opportunity for OWS to show they are serious about improving the country. Tenacity shows commitment, strengthens the message and inspires the American people.