Wall Street protesters: We're in for the long haul

[Ideologue]

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/wall_street_cra_pad_s31YWPjPTt0TYuxLGnu7IK

Occupy Wall Street protesters stay at $700-a-night hotel

By CANDICE M. GIOVE

Last Updated: 12:25 PM, November 20, 2011

Posted: 12:06 AM, November 20, 2011


Hell no, we won't go — unless we get goose down pillows.

A key Occupy Wall Street leader and another protester who leads a double life as a businessman ditched fetid tents and church basements for rooms at a luxurious hotel that promises guests can "unleash [their] inner Gordon Gekko," The Post has learned.

The $700-per-night W Hotel Downtown last week hosted both Peter Dutro, one of a select few OWS members on the powerful finance committee, and Brad Spitzer, a California-based analyst who not only secretly took part in protests during a week-long business trip but offered shelter to protesters in his swanky platinum-card room.

and he basically OWS movement treasurer with access to $500.000 in donations. No wonder that they refuse to have open books and tell how the money is spend...

Yeah, you're right, anytime anyone spends money it obviously means that they are embezzling money.

[CountDeMoney]

Yeah, you're right, anytime anyone spends money it obviously means that they are embezzling money.

I don't see why concepts of social justice have to be mutually exclusive of concepts of nice hotels.  Especially when you're earning Starwood points.

Besides, he's paying room taxes on that hotel room at W Downtown.  Starwood got a $14 million tax break on Federal taxes for their rooms overseas and a break for $49 million in real estate transaction income in 2009.

And they're going to bust his balls for staying in a hotel room?

[garbon]

I guess it is nice that a man with money attempts solidarity with the self-labelled peons?

[Admiral Yi]

  We are the 99.99%!

[MadImmortalMan]

We are the 99.99%!

So the enemy is, what, three people? 

[Razgovory]

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/wall_street_cra_pad_s31YWPjPTt0TYuxLGnu7IK

Occupy Wall Street protesters stay at $700-a-night hotel

By CANDICE M. GIOVE

Last Updated: 12:25 PM, November 20, 2011

Posted: 12:06 AM, November 20, 2011


Hell no, we won't go — unless we get goose down pillows.

A key Occupy Wall Street leader and another protester who leads a double life as a businessman ditched fetid tents and church basements for rooms at a luxurious hotel that promises guests can "unleash [their] inner Gordon Gekko," The Post has learned.

The $700-per-night W Hotel Downtown last week hosted both Peter Dutro, one of a select few OWS members on the powerful finance committee, and Brad Spitzer, a California-based analyst who not only secretly took part in protests during a week-long business trip but offered shelter to protesters in his swanky platinum-card room.

and he basically OWS movement treasurer with access to $500.000 in donations. No wonder that they refuse to have open books and tell how the money is spend...

Well, that is the New York Post...

[Sheilbh]

and he basically OWS movement treasurer with access to $500.000 in donations. No wonder that they refuse to have open books and tell how the money is spend...

How can such a disparate movement have a treasurer?

Also that's a Murdoch tab, I'd probably handle it with a bit of care on this sort of subject.

[Capetan Mihali]

Did the UC-Davis pepper spray incident miss this thread, or did it get its own?



"From Davis to Greece, fuck the police!" 

[Capetan Mihali]

Speaking of the police, here's a retired Phila. police captain getting arrested:



"I've had a lot of proud moments in my life, a lot of proud moments in my career. But when I had those handcuffs on and was being marched over there with the other protesters in solidarity, that was the proudest moment of my life."

[garbon]

Speaking of the police, here's a retired Phila. police captain getting arrested:

"I've had a lot of proud moments in my life, a lot of proud moments in my career. But when I had those handcuffs on and was being marched over there with the other protesters in solidarity, that was the proudest moment of my life."

That's sad.

[Neil]

Did the UC-Davis pepper spray incident miss this thread, or did it get its own?

"From Davis to Greece, fuck the police!" 

Why would this be significant?  Isn't pepper-spraying malcontents a huge part of what the police are there for?

[Capetan Mihali]

Speaking of the police, here's a retired Phila. police captain getting arrested:

"I've had a lot of proud moments in my life, a lot of proud moments in my career. But when I had those handcuffs on and was being marched over there with the other protesters in solidarity, that was the proudest moment of my life."

That's sad.

Real solidarity is a powerful feeling.  If you're lucky enough to experience it once, I can imagine it might be life-defining.

[garbon]

Did the UC-Davis pepper spray incident miss this thread, or did it get its own?

"From Davis to Greece, fuck the police!" 

Why would this be significant?  Isn't pepper-spraying malcontents a huge part of what the police are there for?

Well the video is a bit shocking. That said - isn't Davis one of the least important UCs?

[Sheilbh]

Did the UC-Davis pepper spray incident miss this thread, or did it get its own?

I've got huge problems with American/Euro style policing.  This and the NY traffic case are examples why.  On the other hand I think it's a cultural difference - like having guns - that I just won't ever get so there's not much of use to say.

But more widely with all police forces the worst will also hit minority groups a lot harder because it's unfortunately more tolerated.  I think that creates a problem for necessary police reform because it's seen as a minority issue.  In the UK there's problems with the police handle protests and the Independent Police Complaints Commission - in 10 years, with 400 deaths in custody or in police shootings there's not been one conviction, as the Economist says either they don't deserve the I or it should stand for incompetent.  But I don't think those issues or stop and search will be addressed until they cause serious problems.

[garbon]

Real solidarity is a powerful feeling.  If you're lucky enough to experience it once, I can imagine it might be life-defining.

Which is why I find it sad that he felt it at this particular time.