If there has already been a diary about the greatness of Occupy New Haven, I apologize. But I have been driving past their encampment almost every day for the past couple of months, en route to visit my mom in the hospital. So the other day, I stopped my car and toured the joint.
My view from where I parked the car:
More after the thingy...
Signs visible to 1,000's of cars per day (Note the signs thanking the New Haven Police. Unlike NYC, the police here are "100% behind the movement", according to an occupier who showed me around):
The #ONH Watchdog - drat I forget his/her name, but a real sweetheart:
Tim and Danielle hanging out at the central outdoor table:
A couple of protesters outside their tent (I missed their hugging by 2 seconds):
The schedule/organizational board:
Tim and his tent's interior, view 1:
Tim's tent interior, view 2:
More signs near side entrance to camp:
Other signs:
The #ONH Dining Hall interior:
This coal-filled stocking was left inside the New Haven Wells Fargo branch lobby, where police were called in to investigate a 'suspicious package'. LOLZ. Similar stockings were left inside the New Haven Citibank and Bank of America:
Yes, Virginia, Occupy New Haven DOES have a teepee:
More tents:
An extremely kind occupier whose name I forget, sitting at the booth she built herself:
I told her it should say, "Psychiatric Help 5 Cents" (not a dis to the occupiers, just a silly Peanuts joke. She laughed, I swear.)
Some satellite tents, a good fifty yards from the main encampment:
Occupiers occupying:
The free warm clothing tent:
THE #OWS NEW HAVEN LIBRARY!!!!:
After hearing what Jerkface Bloomberg did to the books at Zucotti Park, the above pic was a sight for sore eyes.
View of the occupation from the opposite side of where I parked:
That building in the background is Yale University's "Old Campus", where all Yale freshmen are housed. It doesn't get more central than this. This is smack dab in the very heart of New Haven! w00t! Happy New Year, everybody! :)
Update 1:
Kosack jpmassar asked such a great question in the comments, I wanted to share it, and my response:
Q: Is ONH physically located on University Property or City Property or otherwise?
A: City property: "The New Haven Green" -- It's the city's main park. What's more, I met about six or seven people while I was there, and not a single one was a Yale student!!! That surprised me. :)
Update 2:
Kosack CT Hank has interesting info re ownership of park:
The Green is a privately owned park dating back to the Puritan era. According to Wikipedia, "There are five members of the committee that oversee the large, main portion of the green. Today's committee members — called proprietors — are drawn from the ranks of prominent city residents. Members are appointed for life, and when one dies the four remaining members convene in private to select a replacement."
So I suppose in a way it is like Zucotti. The important takeaway for me remains that it is not part of Yale, and is thought of by most New Haveners as the epicenter of town.
Update 3:
An inspirational comment from Kosack KosKomposer:
The valiant warriors that are still there will be accompanied by many more thousands/millions in the spring...the pent up energy that I'm feeling now will erupt this nation.
Update 4:
h/t to Kosack kayebee for these #ONH links:
http://www.occupynewhaven.org/
http://www.facebook.com/...