Three Americans who were imprisoned in Iran and accused of espionage are lending their support to activists with the Occupy Wall Street movement.
Shane Bauer, Josh Fattal and Sarah Shourd spoke Monday at the Occupy Oakland encampment in front of City Hall where activists have been sleeping in tents for the past week.
- ap 10/17/2011 06:37:45 PM PDT
Photos here.
It was very moving.
Josh has been on a 24 hour hunger strike in solidarity with the solitary confinement prisoners in California.
He was tired and his face a bit ashen, but his message was clear.
"When you are in prison, in solitary confinement, and you hear that you have supporters from around the world, it gives you the strength to carry on. We support you Occupy Oakland."
What the powers that be don't seem to get is that the occupy spaces around the countries are not "designated protest areas." These are liberated spaces where one can truly practice democracy and speak one's mind without fear. The hikers spoke about how they would never again be silent. And encouraged the audience to practice freedom each day, don't take it for granted.
Go check out your local Occupy event. Participate in some way. Just so you can say you were there on days when magic happens, like today in Oakland.
More coverage starting to come in. There were at least a dozen TV cameras.
http://www.nbcbayarea.com/...
Oakland is Hella Occupied!
http://www.sfbg.com/...
"Fattal said he had gone to the original home of Occupy Wall Street in New York soon after returning to the United States, describing the burgeoning movement as "totally inspiring."
http://edition.cnn.com/...