When Occupy Albany first set up camp, Governor Andrew "1 percent" Cuomo, determined that the protesters should be stopped. Among his reasons, I'm guessing, is that their presence across from the venerable Capital building, would complicate his plan to end the popular Millionaire's Tax, a surcharge on the state's highest earners, which is due to expire at year's end. Albany Mayor Jerry Jennings, who had originally had no issue with the occupation, was swayed by Cuomo into asking police to evict the group. But the Albany Police, to their enormous credit, stepped up and declared that arrests would damage the relationship between police and the community, which they had been working so hard to repair. They said, absent danger to others or serious lawbreaking, they would not arrest the occupiers. The State Police joined them in this belief. As the result, the Governor and the Mayor stood down, and there have been weeks of peaceful occupation without incident. People of all stripes have dropped by to visit, provide food and support. They've keep the park clean Here's kossack TexasTwister at the encampment. Occupy Albany marched in the Veteran's Day Parade last Friday, alongside Veterans for Peace, and received applause and cheers from the crowd. However, the Governor apparently decided that it was time to flex his muscles.
Albany's downtown park is divided in two: one section, Academy Park, is under the City's control; Lafayette Park falls under the jurisdiction of the State. The encampment has kept mostly in Academy Park, but last night decided to make their stand in Lafayette Park. Surrounded by a phalanx of State Police (who, to their credit, were calm, disciplined and behaved like professionals), a group of protesters remained in the Lafayette Park area, with a large number of witnesses, until the 11pm curfew. There were dozens of arrests. Come occupy the space beyond the squiggle to see Mr. SottoVoce's photos of the event.
These photos are a testament to the occupiers and their peaceful tenacity. It's really a shame that the Governor made this decision. He's been slashing public education and asking unions for givebacks in the most ruthless way. But somehow he felt that keeping that army of State Police at the park all night was the best use of State resources he could think of. It is my hope that,at the very least, his action will result in his failure to repeal the Millionaire's Tax.
Power to the 99%!