Protesters began to gather in Burnside Park in downtown Providence on Saturday October 14th, 2011, spreading the Occupy movement to even more cities across the country. Being inspired by the notoriety of Occupy Wall Street and the message of socioeconomic change, the protesters have been “occupying” the park for more than three weeks as of today and hold general assemblies every day at 6 p.m. which consist of a march around the park and around Downtown Providence.
Entering the park, there are signs that state, “Excessiveness is aggressiveness” and another that said, “I am Troy Davis”, the name of a man who was just recently was executed under the death penalty for the 1989 murder of a police officer in Georgia.
The statue of General Burnside was visible in the distance and had a large “OCCUPY PROVIDENCE!” banner posted under the statue and a red flag hanging off the statue itself that read, “No borders, No masters” and “Love, Solidarity, Freedom” and other sayings of that nature. Other signs throughout the park featured other slogans such as, “Occupy Everything!” and “Tax the RICH!”
The now muddy park as a result of the weather was crowded with tents that featured slogans painted on such as, “Whose tent? Our tent!” and “Solidarity” with peace signs and hearts also painted on them.
People of all ages occupied the park; some of the occupants ranged from teenagers and college students to the elderly all joining together in the freezing weather for hope of change in the USA.
One of the most interesting occupants was a man who appeared to be in his 50’s wearing a yellow fleece jacket with matching pants and walked around the park and said, “I am not General Burnside. We will leave peacefully; we have not lost a man yet. I have stood, not fallen through the rain and snow. There will be two tutors to a classroom, and don’t worry about money, we will rise above money. We will develop a Starfleet and fix the galaxy, starting with this planet! We will shoot all the women, all they care about are shoes! A WOMAN NEEDS A MAN TO SURVIVE!” The man answered with this response no matter what was asked of him or said to him and often stood on top of benches as if he was channeling Captain Morgan.
On the other side of the park, they gave the opportunity for people to stand under the statue of General Burnside and let their voices be heard.
One of the organizers of Occupy Providence stood at the base of the statue, “This is your chance to speak your mind,” he told the crowd, “Let your voice be heard! Any one of you can come up here and speak!”
One protestor, wearing a revolutionary war type hat, went up there and spoke of his love for the movement and his city. “Occupy Providence equals love! This is a lovolution! The beginning is now! Use your voice!” he declared to his fellow protestors.
Around the statue there were around 15 to 20 people listening in on words of inspiriting revolution-fueled speeches and tales of financial woes; a young male protestor declared, “This is our land! We have rights, we need to stand strong! We cannot let the police stop us and what we believe in, they aren’t right, we are!”
The latter of his speech referred to the Mayor of Providence having recently stated that the city will file legal action against the protestors, seeking eviction for the protestors and Police Commissioner Pare visited them a couple of days ago to deliver a notice that stated that they must leave the park within 72 hours.
To the side of the statue and soapbox area for speaking, there were booths set up where you could get food, information, schedules, and sign a petition to let the occupants stay in Burnside Park. Next to the information booth, there was a sign that read, “1000 cows for 1 cheeseburger = CORPORATE GREED.”
The march at 6 pm went on as scheduled with all the occupants following the Occupy Providence banner throughout the streets of Downtown Providence without police intervention. The now iconic slogan, “We are the 99%” was inspiringly chanted as they marched their way through the city streets as the sun began to set over the Providence skyline.
The first part of their mission statement is, as recited in a video posted on YouTube, “Occupy Providence is a gathering of people who seek to exercise their right to freedom of speech and peaceful assembly, inspired by people’s occupations spreading rapidly across the globe.” Even though the range of different protestors is vast, they are all united and inspired by the same goal: change.
As expected, the protestors show no sign of wanting to leave until their needs are met and socioeconomic change has descended upon the USA. Even though the protestors did not leave in time for the city’s deadline, legal action for them to leave is not imminent, yet still in the works as the city’s lawyers are drawing up a complaint and consulting with Miriam Weizenbaum, of DeLuca & Weizenbaum, the lawyer who now represents Occupy Providence. On November 2, 2011, it was announced that legal action against the protesters would be postponed.
At the moment, change on a national or even global scale seems indefinite, but none of the occupants in Providence, or any around the globe, are ready or willing to give in and give up.
