The best thing ever done by mankind

Being Australian, I don't know much about American television news and current affairs other than Fox News is filled with liars and lunatics, and that Jon Stewart ridicules it as comedy and Stephen Colbert parodies it as comedy. So I've heard of Keith Olbermann, but don't know much else about him other than this is the most awesome thing I have ever seen.

Robert Doyle, if our media had covered Occupy Melbourne the way Olbermann tore Bloomberg a new one over Occupy Wall Street you'd be on the dole queue by now, unable to lift your head in government again. Australian media, you need Olbermann's cojones, for it is obvious you have no huevos yourself.

Occupy Melb takes City Council/Vic Police to court

Poster from Occupy Melbourne 

Occupy Melb peeps are challenging the actions of Melbourne City Council and Victoria Police in the Federal Court. Good on 'em I say. About time the oompa-loompa got a decent caning for being a pompous ass. Read more on the court challenge here.

So what's it all about?

The Occupy movement isn't really grabbing headlines. It makes the news only when the police bust up a protest and the coverage is uniformly in favour of the police or government authorising the bust-up of the protest. Despite this, online, Occupy is big news. Alternative news feeds are going crazy over it. Solidarity sites and groups are springing up everywhere, spreading every bit of news they can.

So here's a random cross-section of attitudes and stuff that's happening, after the jump.

Occupy-a-palooza

Well, a nice whirlwind of Occupy related bits and pieces this morning.
• Oakland PD stymie investigation into brutality claims here.
• An Occupy Berkley protest runs into a sudden flash of violence from police here (video).
• Wall Street crooks Citigroup pwnd in court here.
• ABC Radio's John Faine interviews Melbourne Lord Mayor Robert Doyle on the bust-up of Occupy Melbourne (thanks to T for this link) here (audio). They start in on the topic at the 5 mins 50 secs mark btw. If you're from overseas and want to hear what Melbourne's most pompous oompa-loompa sounds like to match his potato-like visage, please listen.

UPDATE: Doyle receptionist mistakes 'ballot' for 'bullet' - Doyle has 77 year old man arrested. Here.

Doyle- the angriest oompa-loompa in the chocolate factory

(Awesome meme found on slackbastard.anarchobase.com)

I saw the following piece on FB and feel that it is a message that needs to be spread far and wide. Though this blog's reach is neither far nor wide 'every little bit helps' as the old lady said as she pissed into the sea (That's Cliver Barker's analogy not mine, and it's a good un'!)

Also it's in the linkstorm that follows Sam's piece after the jump, but this is absolutely fucking hilarious. This guy swears more than I do.

Anyway check out Sam's piece after the jump. Can also be read here.

Random Occupy Wall Street/Worldwide image storm

Wanna see some pics? Many serious ones, a few humorous.

A reply to Robert Doyle

Robert Doyle had a pompous and derisory response to the bust-up of the Occupy Melbourne protest last Friday in that piece of sensationalist gorecrow crap noted bastion of journalistic integrity, the Herald Sun.

So I thought, in the spirit of conversation, I'd reply to his reply.

His comments italicised.

Also, some updated links of interest;
A comparison between Occupy Melbourne and Occupy Sydney here
Did Doyle overstep the legal mark? here
Possible legal action? here

Fallout from Occupy Melbourne

An unidentified source creates a 'wanted' style poster of a police officer. The media engage their fury autopilot. The Police Association bristle their moustache in righteous defence of their officers. So what's going on?

The thuggery on our streets

This is about Occupy Melbourne, and no the title is not a reference to the actions of the protestors.

Another account of over-the-top police violence and unwillingness to follow procedure, let alone inform arrestees of their rights can be found here.

You have been duped. We DO have a problem.

Many people have been deriding Occupy Melbourne. Our democracy only needs to be tested once to see its condition. I would like you to read the account in the link below, and then tell me we have no problems here.

http://iamtheblob.blogspot.com/2011/10/today-i-was-arrested-at-occupy.html

OWS comes to town

Hey officer Friendly, where's ya damned badge?

A standard tactic, used in many Melbourne protests. Some officers choose to remove their name tags. If they are photographed or taped bashing in some unarmed protestor's head, the Vic Police can later say that they cannot identify the officer and thus take punitive action. Often they say it is ripped off during the protest. Does this look like the officer is in the middle of a wild free-for-all?

The OWS solidarity protest in Melbourne has been lingering for just shy of a week (since last Saturday to be precise). Today Lord Mayor Robert Doyle (Liberal Party) and Premier Ted Baillieu (Liberal Party) sent the police in to bust up the protest. As per usual, mounted police have also been used to shove protestors out of the way. Why else would you have a police officer on horseback in the middle of a group of protestors? Police have long used the bulk and size of the horse to shove civilians around.

So, OWS has come to town. Our two arch-conservatives - the Lord Mayor and our state Premier have laid down the law. The police have been sent in to bust heads. If the S11 (not to be confused with the 1 year later 9/11 tragedy) protests, or the Richmond High School protests even earlier than that are anything to go by, we will be seeing a lot of bloodied and battered kids and old people today.

Just not on the news.

To people who don't like to be 'inconvenienced' by protest - grow up. Justice and democracy is worth a lot more than your convenience. After all, that's why the cops are out there cracking skulls - so you can go shopping in peace. Lucky you. 


(Melbourne Greens MP Adam Bandt has issued a statement here)
Alan Kohler on the OWS protests broadly here
Current ABC coverage here

More Links;
John Faine (ABC radio) gives his views here
Youtube footage of protestors being dragged away here
Jeff Sparrow's views here

Some Twitter comments I've seen;
"I was punched in the stomach by a riot cop and dragged out of City Square with others. We're occupying the intersection now"
 "Strangled by the cops and ejected now they're riding into us."
"Protesters on floor screaming, "get off me" "help me". Riot scenes in full now. Bloody protesters spotted"
"When you send in riot police against unarmed citizens, it doesn't matter what their agenda is. I know which side I'm on."
"Good point on radio by East Melb Fertility Dr abt double standard on eviction of #occupymelb people but tolerence of picketers @ clinic"
"all the world is watching. Just what Australia needs: we're racist, polluting and undemocratic."
" Melbourne supports protest - as long as it's confined to the internet, and no-one's listening"