Author: Mike

At today’s Occupy Worcester general assembly, it was decided that people would attempt to set up an encampment on Worcester Common tonight at 8pm.

Organizers have been warned that people camping on the Common will be arrested. Mayor Joe O’Brien, who spoke twice at the general assembly, reiterated the City’s arrest warning.

(I think that if people are arrested, these would be the first arrests for civil disobedience in Worcester since 2008.)

Here’s some video of the general assembly, just for transparency’s sake. (Part 1 currently missing, pending file recovery…)

Below, the mayor speaks a second time.

After a 30-person march through downtown yesterday, there was another general assembly. It was decided there’d be a march Friday, and that GAs would continue to be held on the Common, alternating between 4pm and 6pm. Next GA October 19, 6pm.

People split into various working groups or committees to plan out direct actions, outreach, and the like.

People continue to camp in Lake Park for the time being.

For those who’ve enjoyed watching previous videos of the GAs, here’s another. Please enjoy my grouchy co-facilitation.

Today is the first day of Occupy Worcester’s actual physical occupation, relocated to “Camp Quinsigamond” in Lake Park last night after a brief moment on the Common.

T&G: Protesters relocate; OCCUPY WORCESTER MOVES TO AVOID ARREST

Worcester Magazine: photos

Worcester Police Department press release: Protestors Stay the Night at Lake Park

When I stopped by today at lunch, 15 people were at the camp. It’s a beautiful site on Lake Quinsigamond, with all the campground amenities.

I can’t confirm this on the website, but I believe the next general assembly is Monday, 6pm, on the Common.

I believe that the land currently being occupied is state land. I also believe that the city is getting their act together today occupy-wise and considering whether there might be better sites. Lots of rumors at the moment.

To visit the camp via public transit, take the #16 bus to Lake Park and walk towards the lake, looking for tents.

From last night:

The brief occupation of the Common, the police, and the decision to move to Lake Park

Worcester residents today gathered at Clark University and marched to City Hall in a show of solidarity with the nationwide Occupy movement.

109 people marched. When they reached Worcester Common, they began the city’s third “general assembly.”

Update: As mentioned in this detailed T&G article, people may Occupy Worcester Common as early as 6pm, October 16.

There was another general assembly meeting of Occupy Worcester on the Common today. No, nobody’s “occupying” anything yet. There was a lot of discussion of occupation but no consensus. I counted 96 people.

Eventually attention shifted to Saturday’s “International Day of Action in Solidarity with Occupy Wall Street” event. People will meet at Clark at 2pm, march downtown around 3pm, and begin another general assembly on the Common at 4pm. At sundown, there will be a candlelight vigil. The message will be “Solidarity.” Not many more details than that were decided.

People at the assembly were also talking about helping the Worcester Anti-Foreclosure Task Force prevent a foreclosure on Tuesday, and joining a local Bank of America protest Wednesday.

Directly after the assembly a number of folks rushed off to join Occupy Boston in their attempt to hold onto a second camp despite warnings from police. Various responses to the Boston situation were floated during the assembly, but there was no consensus, probably because the situation was developing.

See also:

• The minutes of the assembly
• T&G: Common cause: “OCCUPY WORCESTER” LOOKS HOMEWARD

For what it’s worth, here’s video of the first hour of the assembly. IIRC the whole thing was about 2 hours long.