Wall Street Movement Occupies Detroit

Thousands gathered for the Occupy Detroit demonstration and camp-in at Grand Circus Park on October 14, 2011. Detroit was the first major city where the crisis struck in the United States., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.

Wall Street movement occupies Detroit

Protesters march on downtown Detroit to rally against social injustice

By JONATHAN SHIHADEH | The South End

Hundreds of protesters marched from the Spirit of Detroit statue up Woodward Avenue toward Grand Circus Park to protest economic inequalities and show support and solidarity for the “Occupy Wall Street” rally in New York.

Small organizations, each with its own agenda, came together to form one massive unit during the march. Aging hippies marched alongside chic hipsters. Union blue-collar workers stood with college intellectuals. 4chan Internet terrorists “Anonymous” flashed signs and middle fingers while curious onlookers were slowly absorbed into the small army of protesters.

The issues raised include various social problems such as abolishing college loans, increasing taxes for the upper class, health care prices, foreign wars, the job market, banks and compensation packages for corporate executives.

One thing is common amongst the protesters: They are ready for a change.

“People are making connections with each other. Things are not what they should be. People are waking up,” said Mike “F,” a WSU senior.

Some sported bandannas or war paint on their faces while beating drums as they filed foreword. Some waved flags and banners like a platoon of soldiers marching into battle. One man wore a military- style gas mask while saying, “Wall Street stinks.”

“People are motivated. I love it, to see so many different groups of people moving towards the right direction,” said Babatunju, a Highland Park resident who was only comfortable giving his African name.

For many, it was the first time they were part of a large rally.

“What do we do now?” said one young protester when he arrived at the park. “Stand here and look angry?”

The group aims to be as self-sufficient as possible while trying to rely on one another for support. An orange tub made its way around the crowd; protesters gave what they could for a portable toilet.

Matthew Hoffman, a Dearborn Heights resident, made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in exchange for a hug.

“I decided to make PB and J for the hungry protesters,” Hoffman said. ”I’m proud that people are exercising their freedom of speech.”

Although the Occupy movement is technically leaderless, local activist Abayomi Azikiwe and UAW Local 869 President David Edgar were leading the marchers and directing them down Woodward, megaphones in hand, while leading the protesters in chants.

“This occupation is supposed to be leaderless,” Phillip Nicholas, an IT administrator from Livonia, said. “If they put a face or fit us in a stereotype, it’s easier to manipulate by the powers at be.”

Edgar said leading the protest was not his intention and that he came out to support local workers. He said he has a job but wanted to show support for Michigan workers who are having a tough time finding work and making ends meet.

“It will take massive rallies to get the attention of our politicians,” Edgar said, “so we can hold them accountable for their words.”

The general assembly came together around 7 p.m. to discuss the agenda, explain the rules and point out designated moderators, who keep the various group discussions on track.

Protesters shared their anger and fears about the issues the U.S. faces. They shared stories of inequality, debt, unemployment and the downtrodden. Each speaker had a minute to vent about any issue they wished.

To keep the rally from getting out of hand, protesters were taught a series of hand gestures based on American Sign Language to help express their opinions. This allowed people to get their points across without getting loud or rowdy, a tactic known as a “temperature test,” which gauges the anger level of people in the group.

When the sun set, protesters in for the long haul set up tents for the night. The group hopes to occupy the park for 60 days and is gaining support from local businesses and activist group to keep the group motivated.

“We can operate as a democracy on our own. We can run our lives like this every day,” Mike F said. “I’m staying until I get kicked out.”

There is no doubt about the role social networking played in helping the Occupy Detroit movement gain support. As of Oct. 16, the group has almost 4,000 members on Facebook and more than 1,000 followers on Twitter.

“I saw a spark through social networking. It kept expanding through Facebook, and everyone was talking about it,” said Ryan Coleman, a Ferndale resident and firefighter in-training. “I’m hyped to see such a great turn out.”

Leaona, a retired State employee, said people are tired of getting stepped on by the powers that be and that she sees this rally as the first of many.

“They have the power,” Leona said, “but we have the people.”