I called the NYC FBI office yesterday to ascertain their position on the protests and the status of their involvement. I was told by an agent there that intervention is under discussion, but that they have not yet made a decision. I called attention to the latest polls, which show that 54% of Americans support Occupy Wall Street. He was not much impressed by that statistic.
I have read MSM reports, reports I cannot personally verify, that some protesters in the Wall Street march yesterday threw bottles and that one protester threw a trash can at police. If true, those actions could certainly invite more force. Yesterday’s despicable action by an officer on a motor scooter and the unprovoked macing of protesters will not be the only such events. Rogue cops will act out of aggressive leanings or out of fear. We all need to be prepared for aggression and plan to respond without aggression. Civil disobedience training is vital, and all global Occupy movements must teach it and hold to it. It is the only means to long-term success and the expansion of the protest.
The FBI must not be given any excuse to shut down occupation movements, and martial law must not get to the table as an option. While the sweeping provisions of The 2007 Defense Authorization Bill were repealed in 2008, National Guard troops have been subsequently called in to assist in police actions in many instances throughout the country. What that means is that military troops, in violation of the Posse Comitatus Act, have been used to control citizens with no publicity or resistance.
The Occupy movement needs to grow, to amplify its numbers and welcome all to the protest – for its own protection as well as for its political impact. As difficult as it will be to keep a lid on maverick actions as the movement grows, doing so will be the decisive factor determining success or failure. Only a determined insistence on non-violent strategies can guarantee success. Stand in peace.
Non-violence is the greatest force at the disposal of mankind. It is mightier than the mightiest weapon of destruction devised by the ingenuity of man.
Mohandas Gandhi
You must be the change you wish to see in the world.
Mohandas Gandhi
OpEdNews – Article: Non-violence is critical to the success of all Occupy movements.