Five hundred people returned to Zuccotti Park on New Year's Eve, with drums, chants of "Whose Year? Our Year!", and a tent, which they say they gave to police in exchange for entrance to the park. An hour before midnight, police and occupiers attempting to remove metal barricades around Zuccotti had a violent confrontation and, by 1:30 a.m., police had cleared activists from the park.
Tuesday, occupiers mobilized against the National Defense Authorization Action signed by President Obama on New Year's Eve. After a lunchtime march to the offices of New York senators, occupiers gathered in the Grand Central train station, where multiple people were arrested while leading "People's Mic" recitations of an anti-NDAA script. The indefinite detention provisions of the NDAA have become a lightning rod for Occupy actions, including Philadelphia-where activists presented "Fascist of the Year" awards to actors portraying their Senators-and Iowa, where they occupied the hotel headquartering the DNC.
Meanwhile, protesters in Kano, Nigeria, declared Occupy Kano in the city center, which they renamed "Tahrir Square." Their encampment was part of a national pushback against their president's elimination of fuel subsidies, which will include a national strike next week. Nigerian police cleared the occupation in a surprise raid with beatings and tear gas Thursday morning.
Meanwhile, police arrested the tech team behind Occupy's livestream, occupiers demonstrated outside Bloomberg's home, and Occupy New Hampshire Primary began a series of pre-primary actions.
The Five Most Important OWS Pieces This Week:
Allison Kilkenny's NDAA action dispatch.
When is it legal to arrest a reporter at a protest?
Why many DC occupiers are moving indoors.
The difference between Occupy Iowa Caucus and Occupy New Hampshire Primary.
Why John Campbell is changing his mind about Nigeria.
Photo of the week:
Allison Kilkenny
