Today, to me at least, was a critical day for the OccupyBoston movement. Today, I finally solidified in my mind, my opinions on the various aspects and dynamics that go on everyday, though more specifically on what occurs during the marches. Until now, I hadn't had a really solid idea or opinion on the students, the police or the marches themselves. Everything was fluid, and my opinions changed constantly. While I'm going to arrange this in a semi-structured way, this is definitely a rant, and should be treated as such. You might disagree with some of my conclusions and/or opinions, but hell, that's the point of writing it in the first place! I also apologize if this is a bit dense, boring or unrefined writing, I just feel like solidifying my ideas on the OccupyBoston movement, and seeing if anyone has felt the same, either about OccupyBoston itself, or their local movement.
The police
My views on the Boston Police Department have been changing constantly, but I definitely now have a solid idea of how I feel about them. First, the commanders:
The police commanders (basically our version of the NYPD white shirts) have been probably the best of any of the police. They have been (for the most part) open, easy to deal with, and as friendly as an officer can be. Two in particular, who are there nearly every time, have been extraordinarily pleasant and accommodating. A police captain (who I believe is Bernard O'Rourke, the Captain of District A-1) who is usually the one leading the cops who block traffic to let people through, and is usually in the front with the media, can be a little cold, but is rarely hostile, and even cracks a smile once and a while. One, who is equally ranked, is outright friendly and jovial. He jokes with people often, and almost seems to enjoy the whole thing. Another, who is a 4 star superintendent, and usually the highest ranked one there, is, as my mother would say, a "chatty Cathy". He isn't as jolly as the other one, but he always ready to listen to both media people and protesters. Today, when a rather rude motorcycle special ops cop (more on them in a moment) called me a "fucking jackass" when I inquired if I could get by, as they were blocking most of the street, I communicated this to the 4 star superintendent, and he was quite angry. He told me that he doesn't want the BPD to be portrayed like the NYPD and that they wish to keep a good relationship with us, and promised to talk to the head of Special Ops regarding the incident. The rest of the commanders are either just as friendly, or at the very least neutral, and do not needlessly antagonize us. Though there was an incident with one commander (which I will explain later), they have been, by far, the most friendly and fair officers (to my surprise)
Special ops/motorcycle cops:
Not nice, to put it mildly. These guys are openly dismissive and rude, and are what is going to, in the end, give the BPD a bad name. They nearly run people over (in my opinion, on purpose) regularly, make rude comments, push people around for no reason, and make things more difficult and hostile for no reason. Many of them seem bloodthirsty, and with one exception, have never made conversation, either with the media or protesters in general. They are also prone to bullying the media for sport, and regularly block pictures from both amateurs like me, and professional media as well, even from places like the Boston Herald. They are a menace and far more of a threat to the instigation of violence than ANYONE at OccupyBoston. If something like Oakland were to ever happen in Boston, I can almost guarantee you, it would be at the hands of these guys. When I think of thug police officers, these are the guys I think of first.
Bicycle cops/regular cops
Neutral to friendly for the most part. Unlike the special ops guys, they do not antagonize us randomly, or use force for the fun of it. There isn't much to say on them, because they mostly stay away from the protests or in the background. They are usually the ones who block entrance to buildings like the Bank of America tower, the Fed and other places, but unlike when the Special Ops guys are doing it, they do not rough people up for no reason.
I am happy the BPD has, for the most part, behaved professionally. As I said, it is going to be the Special Ops guys who cause the trouble, also from listening to the police talk, I gathered that the Special Ops commander is never or rarely there (at marches) and thus does not have any real personal connection to anyone in the media or the protestors, like some of the captains and superintendents do. While I will not go out of my way to make the police look bad, they are supposed to protect US, and I will be harshly critical of even the slightest misstep by them. In the end, I do not trust the police, but I also do not feel threatened or that my rights are being violated by MOST of the police. I cannot emphasize enough though, my deep distaste and worry regarding the Special Ops police in Boston.
Now, for the various protestor groups, these are rough groupings, and I speak of people as groups, not of individuals.
First, the anarchists:
Probably my favorite group. They are often the most fun, the most enthusiastic, and the easiest to have a conversation with. Almost always, they lead the marches, and have good ideas on how the marches should be, the best places to be seen, and the like. They are loud and often blunt, which puts many people off, but these guys are gonna be the ones still there when it's 20 degrees out. Though I think they are too quick to needlessly antagonize the police, I also think, that when they do it, it is for reasons that matter, and that can possibly be resolved in a manner disadvantageous to the police. They know what they are doing.
The students:
More of a mixed bag. While I think they bring a lot of enthusiasm, fresh ideas, and people to the movement, they are also often the most convinced that it's their way or the highway. Today, the police blocked the entrance to where the Boston School Committee meets, and a group of students began to antagonize a superintendent after most of the group had gone to the other side of the building. One guy in particular was being outright hostile, and while I do think the police were being unhelpfully vague, when I tried to explain their (the police's) reasoning, despite outright disagreeing with the police's angle on the situation, the students proceeded to give me the stink eye, for lack of a better word, and refused to listen. Later that same superintendent came over to me after the march ended, and thanked me for being reasonable. I'm all for standing up to the police, and their often blatant violations of our rights, but this was a conversation going nowhere, and a complete waste of time, when energy was so desperately needed somewhere else. I also acknowledge my own biases towards students, as being from a working class background and from a family where no one has ever finished college, my view of college students in Boston isn't the best (nor is my view of cops, to be honest). In the end though, despite my problems with some of their tactics and, as one of the anarchists put it, "rookie mistakes", they bring a lot to the movement and I'm glad they participate.
Union members/veteran protestors/immigrant rights activists:
A great group. They are experienced in both civil disobedience and have seen a lot, and give a lot to the movement in general. Also, when it's the unions marching with us, it is a lot harder to paint as all as dirty hippies (I say that as a dirty hippie in a Union, heh). The veteran protestors are great as well, they have a solid foundation on tactical ideas and how to really make the marches pop. The immigrant rights activists are also great to talk to, are really connected with the lower income communities, and really help us bring more working class people into the movement. They are also the most responsive to issues in the community, especially regarding the homeless and the problems they face. It is because of them that this movement has a real compassion for our fellow Americans and fellow humans that the Tea Party so fundamentally lacks.
Anyways, I just felt like breaking down some of the groups that I've encountered at OccupyBoston, and how I felt about them. I say some, because of course, there are people from all walks of life in this beautiful movement, which is one of the most incredible parts about this. It continues to grow, day after day, from Oakland to Wall Street, and from Boston to Florida, and everywhere in between. I am thankful to be part of this movement, as an amateur photographer and as a supporter, and of course a member of the 99%. I've made new friends that I never would've met otherwise, and just for that, I'll always be grateful for what has happened over the past month. This isn't going away, and every day I become more convinced of that. It certainly feels good to not only get these ideas out of my head, but to lay them out in a way that helps me understand what I want to get out of this movement, and what I'd like the direction to be, and where we need to go from here. To everyone in all the OWS movements out there, regardless of how you contribute, thank you for what you do every day. We are going to change this country, whether the power structure likes it or not.