Author Naomi Wolf Arrested at Occupy Wall Street

Last night author and activist Naomi Wolf was arrested at OWS in New York.
Arresting a middle-aged writer in an evening gown for peaceable conduct is a far cry from when America was a free republic

Last night I was arrested in my home town, outside an event to which I had been invited, for standing lawfully on the sidewalk in an evening gown.

read more in The Guardian link
www.guardian.co.uk...

I have a feeling that a lot of responders on here will be thinking, "haha liberal bitch", I encourage you to read what she wrote about it.
From the linked source in the OP:

In my book Give Me Liberty, a blueprint for how to open up a closing civil society, I have a chapter on permits – which is a crucial subject to understand for anyone involved in protest in the US. In 70s America, protest used to be very effective, but in subsequent decades municipalities have sneakily created a web of "overpermiticisation" – requirements that were designed to stifle freedom of assembly and the right to petition government for redress of grievances, both of which are part of our first amendment. One of these made-up permit requirements, which are not transparent or accountable, is the megaphone restriction.

It's difficult, I read a lot of hate on here directed at OWS, and even as a supporter I can see there is some legitamacy to concerns such as when protesters do in fact break the law. But...what about the light that is being shone on these "little freedoms" we have quietly let slip away? This is why I say this Movement is multi-faceted, it has it's main points but those main points have trickled down into hundreds of small ones.

Maybe you can't identify with these groups of protesters, maybe you can't identify with what they are protesting. What if it was something you could identify with? What if tomorrow, despite appeals through more conventional channels, guns were outlawed? Wouldn't you resent your restricted right to protest? How fast would you realize that needing a permit to protest was a ridiculous violation of the Constitution? Once permits are obtained how fast would you realize that you have been restricted to mewing like a kitten when you want to roar like a lion?

We went inside, chatted with our friends, but needed to leave before the governor had arrived. I decided I would present their list to his office in the morning and write about the response. On our exit, I saw that the protesters had been cordoned off by a now-massive phalanx of NYPD cops and pinned against the far side of the street – far away from the event they sought to address.

I went up and asked them why. They replied that they had been informed that the Huffington Post event had a permit that forbade them to use the sidewalk. I knew from my investigative reporting on NYC permits that this was impossible: a private entity cannot lease the public sidewalks; even film crews must allow pedestrian traffic. I asked the police for clarification – no response.

When you chuckle and sneer and think good, shut them up...realize that you are approving of silencing Americans and that you better hope it is never your turn to take to the streets.

reply to post by Kali74


thanks for the great reply and for fleshing out my OP a little. I thought it would be interesting to hear the thoughts of ATSers both for and against OWS

I am not familiar with her work.

But I feel that those who are calling for a violent revolution or overthrowing the US government should be targeted first.

Oh, Naomi Wolf. I remember her, I saw her speak irl before here in D.C back in 2008 at a RP rally. She was interesting, I hope she is okay.

reply to post by Kali74


Getting a permit only allows peaceable assembly.

Being lawless and disregarding city permit zones, ordinances and other laws is not a form of assembling peaceably.

The founding fathers were not that stupid.

reply to post by thehoneycomb




Going through her 10 steps to tyranny

The ten steps

Invoke a terrifying internal and external enemy.
Create secret prisons where torture takes place.
Develop a thug caste or paramilitary force not answerable to citizens.
Set up an internal surveillance system.
Harass citizens' groups.
Engage in arbitrary detention and release.
Target key individuals.
Control the press.
Treat all political dissidents as traitors.
Suspend the rule of law.[5]
[edit]

en.wikipedia.org...:_A_Letter_of_Warning_to_a_Young_Patriot

reply to post by woodwardjnr


I wish that you could put those 10 steps into more context.

But coming from someone who doesn't seem to understand the 1st amendment that does not surprise me.

(edit to add) not directed at you, I was speaking about Naomi Wolf.

reply to post by thehoneycomb


The problem is, that we shouldn't need permits to peacefully assemble.

Re: the vid posted, I can't agree with all she said nor do I by any stretch support Ron Paul but, it is clear some commonalities are popping up all over the place among so many different groups of people. We need to laser focus on those commonalities as a people.

reply to post by Kali74


I don't know if it is just the mentality or the common consensus among liberals, but that is just not the case. Peacefully assembling does not give you authorization to break the law.
www.thefreedictionary.com...

peaceably - in a peaceable manner; "the tenant paying the rent hereby reserved and performing the several covenants herein on his part contained shall peaceably hold and enjoy the demised premises"

reply to post by thehoneycomb


Who said anything about breaking the law? She was not arrested for breaking the law, regardless of what the police said. No public sidewalk is for lease for any amount of money or at least that is how it supposed to be. When Ms.Wolf asked why the protesters weren't being allowed on the sidewalk an officer told her that her own news publication, The Huffington Post, had obtained a permit for the evening that forbade the protesters use of the sidewalk. When she asked the officer to see the permit:

I went up and asked them why. They replied that they had been informed that the Huffington Post event had a permit that forbade them to use the sidewalk. I knew from my investigative reporting on NYC permits that this was impossible: a private entity cannot lease the public sidewalks; even film crews must allow pedestrian traffic. I asked the police for clarification – no response.

I went over to the sidewalk at issue and identified myself as a NYC citizen and a reporter, and asked to see the permit in question or to locate the source on the police or event side that claimed it forbade citizen access to a public sidewalk. Finally a tall man, who seemed to be with the event, confessed that while it did have a permit, the permit did allow for protest so long as we did not block pedestrian passage.

I thanked him, returned to the protesters, and said: "The permit allows us to walk on the other side of the street if we don't block access. I am now going to walk on the public sidewalk and not block it. It is legal to do so. Please join me if you wish." My partner and I then returned to the event-side sidewalk and began to walk peacefully arm in arm, while about 30 or 40 people walked with us in single file, not blocking access.

Then her and her partner were arrested.

reply to post by Kali74


Did she state what she was arrested for or was that omitted from her report? I don't know honestly but you do have to consider both sides in these cases. All I am stating is that it does not sound like she has a good understanding of her constitutional rights. So it does not surprise me when people like this get arrested, especially when many of them lock arms with principals that call for the overthrow of the United States. But like I said I am not familiar with her work so if you could help familiarize me with more context about her political views etc that might help.

Hmmm Will be interesting to see what comes of this.
Police don't want anyone there making a scene I guess, regular protesters are fine but apparent "traitors" like Naomi, "Stirring up trouble" they will take these people down any way they can I guess, any little technicality.


Land of the free....

These protests are certain showing otherwise..


Both the UK and US are becoming much tougher on protesting and have been for a few years now.... but that's OK, It's only the liberals and hippies that ever protest.... but wait until they take more rights away, wait until YOU have to protest and see what happens.


It's like the old

"They came for the...... but I did not speak out" Quote

reply to post by blupblup


We heard Naomi's side of the story, I am simply asking for more perspective.

If she is advocating lawlessness or violence she should be arrested. If she is not mindful that even though she has a right to protest it does not giver her special rights or the right to break the law, simply if she broke the law in any shape or form she should have been arrested and then rightfully so.

Some really good threads on Naomi here at ATS. I like what she has to say and was just thinking about dredging up some old info on her to see how what she had to say held up over the past few years.

This should spark some interesting flames in OWS.

Before people start drawing conclusions and making mindless accusations I am just asking that people first look at all of the facts.

There was a thread on here calling police brutality but then when I reviewed the video all I saw was a mob chanting che' and laying hands on cops, attacking aggressively and violently. Cops are people to and if you attack a cop they do have the right to defend themselves.

~

Filling their Quota.
. . . not like she is a corrupt criminal as
corrupt banksters are.

articles.nydailynews.com...

search.surfcanyon.com...

news.yahoo.com...

news.yahoo.com...

$$$ talks for the 1%,
but these officers need to realize that
their salary is taken and paid by the 99%.

I think part of the answer is in the riddle.

I went up and asked them why. They replied that they had been informed that the Huffington Post event had a permit that forbade them to use the sidewalk. I knew from my investigative reporting on NYC permits that this was impossible: a private entity cannot lease the public sidewalks; even film crews must allow pedestrian traffic. I asked the police for clarification – no response.

The pedestrian traffic would be blocked by the protesters. Since they are not themselves pedestrians.

pedestrian is a person traveling on foot, whether walking or running. In some communities, those traveling using roller skates or skateboards are also considered to be pedestrians. In modern times, the term mostly refers to someone walking on a road or footpath, but this was not the case historically.

As for Ms Wolfe I would be curious as to what may be omitted by her. By nature we are biased towards our own opinions. Not saying that she was wrong but I tend to disbelieve the opinion of one person when they are being arrested.

Originally posted by thehoneycomb
Before people start drawing conclusions and making mindless accusations I am just asking that people first look at all of the facts.

There was a thread on here calling police brutality but then when I reviewed the video all I saw was a mob chanting che' and laying hands on cops, attacking aggressively and violently. Cops are people to and if you attack a cop they do have the right to defend themselves.

edit on 20-10-2011 by thehoneycomb because: spelling

Oh dear. The protesters do not shout "Che". They shout "shame".

Originally posted by Kali74

Oh dear. The protesters do not shout "Che". They shout "shame".

I know,.. I just read that and was like WTF??

People want to make these protests out to be liberal, commie losers who have no jobs and are just there to cause trouble....

*sigh*