Feature Archives

On October 10th, the former Cathedral Hill Hotel at 1101 Van Ness Avenue in San Francisco was occupied by demonstrators led by the squatters' collective Homes Not Jails and reinforced by the activists of Occupy San Francisco. At 7pm, approximately 30 occupiers were inside the building, which contains 600 housing units. They report that most if not all of the rooms remain furnished and in habitable condition. Activists demand that habitable housing stock be put into use for people not profits, and point out that enough residential units exist in San Francisco to eliminate homelessness in the City.

Approximately 150 supporters of Occupy Santa Cruz marched on banks the afternoon of October 7th. The march wound its way through the downtown, and stops were made at Chase, Bank of America, and Wells Fargo. Protesters attempted to gain entry in order to close their bank accounts as a group, but even though it was normal business hours, all three of the establishments visited had locked their doors to prevent the group from entering. A second march was held on October 12th.

The Oakland General Assembly decided on October 4th that the people of Oakland should occupy Frank Ogawa Plaza at the corner of 14th and Broadway on Monday, October 10th starting at 4pm in solidarity with Occupy Wall Street, the many occupations underway across the country, and Indigenous Resistance Day. Organizers say, "Come ready to spend the night or just swing by to say hello. Let's do this Oakland style!" Nearly 1000 people gathered on the first day, with around 50 tents set up overnight, including one tent occupied by Oakland city council member Desley Brooks. The plaza has been dubbed "Oscar Grant Plaza" by Occupiers.

Occupy Santa Cruz rounded out its first day on October 6th with a major decision by the group to change the location of the occupation to Mission Plaza. The occupation began with a long day of organizing. Late in the evening, a group of a dozen or more remained; people continued to discuss the movement, they cooked their meals, and some set up places to sleep in San Lorenzo Park.

Occupy Santa Cruz, a local convergence in solidarity with Occupy Wall Street, held it's first General Assembly on October 4th at Laurel Park in Santa Cruz. Hundreds of people gathered in the park and decided by consensus to launch an occupation at San Lorenzo Park starting Thursday, October 6th at 10am. A general assembly is scheduled for 6pm, and a march is tentatively planned for 3:30pm that day as well.

On September 17th, over one thousand demonstrators poured into New York City's financial district to confront corporate greed by establishing an ongoing presence, day and night, in lower Manhattan. The idea was to create an American Tahir Square on Wall Street. Police blocked marchers from reaching Wall Street, but hundreds persisted and set up camp in Zuccotti Park, now dubbed Liberty Plaza. In San Francisco, demonstrators likewise called for an occupation of the financial district starting the same day, outside of 555 California Street. The SF occupation is currently located in front of the Federal Reserve building on Market Street, although after midnight on October 6th, SFPD and city workers raided the site and took away the kitchen, tents, and truckloads of other occupier supplies. Several were beaten by SFPD and one was arrested during the raid. Occupations began in San Jose on Oct. 2nd, in Santa Cruz and Sacramento on Oct. 6th, Berkeley on Oct. 8th, Fresno on Oct. 9th, in Oakland on Oct. 10th and one is planned to start in Santa Rosa on Saturday, Oct. 15th.

Occupy Santa Cruz writes: We will gather to hold our first meeting and general assembly at 5pm on Tuesday, October 4th in Santa Cruz to bring together energy, ideas and skills/interest to help shift the movement forward in our local area. Let's show the big corporations that we do not accept their ownership of our nation and show Occupy Wall Street that we support them to the end.