Occupy Wall Street 10 years on - The Guardian

The Occupy Wall Street movement ... By this reckoning, it was also the original leaderless social media-organised movement on which #MeToo and ... SkiptomaincontentSkiptonavigationTheOccupyWallStreetprotestinZuccottiPark,NewYork,September2011.Photograph:StanHonda/AFP/GettyImagesSomesayitinspiredBLMandthegrowthoftheUSleft.Othersseeitasanabjectfailure.AdecadeaftertheoccupationofNewYork’sZuccottiPark,thepeoplewhoweretherelookbackbyAndrewAnthonySun12Sep202109.00BST“Wearethe99%.”Tenyearsagothatunifyingslogantravelledaroundtheworld.SomeattributeitsorigintotheeconomistJosephStiglitz,whofirstpopularisedthedistinctionbetweenthe1%ofpeoplewithgreatwealthandpowerandtherestofus.OtherssaythatitwasthelateanthropologistandanarchistDavidGraeberwhocoinedthephrase.ButeveryoneagreesthatitwentglobalwhenitwasvoicedbydemonstratorswhogatheredinlowerManhattan’sfinancialdistricton17September2011.Whattookplacethatday,andthetwomonthstofollow,wouldbecomeknownasOccupyWallStreet,aprotestmovementagainsteconomicinequalityandinjusticethatspreadto28otherUScities,toEuropeancapitalsandfinancialcentres,includingLondon,ParisandBerlin,aswellaspartsofSouthAmericaandthefareast.Intotalit’ssaidthatthereweremorethan750Occupyeventsaroundtheworld,featuringdemonstratorsrangingfromafewtensinsomeplacestomanythousandsinothers.InspiredbytheArabspringproteststhathadtoppledseveraldictatorsintheMiddleEast,OWSwasalsoadelayedreactiontotheglobalfinancialcrisisof2008thathadusheredinaneraofausterity.“Theonedutyweowetohistory,”saidOscarWilde,“istorewriteit.”Inthelimitlessleisureofretrospect,anyparticularmomentintimeandspacecanbecomeimbuedwithpivotalsignificanceorbeconsignedtothedustbinofhistoricaldeadends.Adecadeon,opinionsaboutOWSremainstarklypolarisedamongbothobserversandparticipants.TimelineTheOccupyWallStreetmovementShowJuly2011Respondingtogrowinginequalitypost-2008andunduecorporateinfluenceongovernment,Adbustersmagazinecallsfor20,000peopleto“occupyWallStreet”forafewmonthsfrom17September,inanemailco-writtenbysenioreditorMicahWhite.17SeptemberSpurredonbythehackergroupAnonymous,around1,000protestersdescendonZuccottiPark,twoblocksnorthofWallStreet,andsetupcamp.24SeptemberANewYorkpoliceofficer,laternamedasAnthonyBologna,isfilmedpeppersprayingprotesters,addingmomentumtothemovement.1OctoberAmarchacrosstheBrooklynBridgeleadsto768arrests,thelargestnumberatanyOccupyevent.15OctoberInspiredinpartbytheOccupymovement,proteststakeplacein951citiesin82countriesaroundtheworld.HalfamillionpeoplegatherinMadrid.InLondon,protesterssetupcampoutsideStPaul’sCathedral.OccupyLondonreleasesaformalstatementthefollowingday.22OctoberLondonprotestersestablishasecondoffourcamps,inFinsburySquare.It’sthelastcampinthecitytobecleared,inJune2012.15NovemberPoliceinriotgearbeginremovingprotestersfromZuccottiPark,arrestingsome200peopleintheprocess.2January2012AnOccupymovementinNigeriaissparkedbyamovetoendfuelsubsidiesinthecountry.Twoweekslater,PresidentGoodluckJonathanpartiallyrestoresthefuelsubsidy.28FebruaryInLondon,bailiffssupportedbyriotpolicebegintoremovethetentsaroundStPaul’sCathedral.17SeptemberTomarktheone-yearanniversaryofOccupyWallStreet,hundredsofprotestersreturntoZuccottiPark.Despitethemuchsmallernumbersinvolved,nearly200peoplearearrested.OneschoolofthoughtviewsitasatransformativeeventincontemporaryUShistory,apopularuprisingagainstthepowerofcorporateAmericathathelpedshifttheDemocraticpartyleftwards,enableBernieSanders’spresidentialcampaignandtheelectionofself-proclaimedsocialistpoliticianssuchasAlexandriaOcasio-Cortez.Bythisreckoning,itwasalsotheoriginalleaderlesssocialmedia-organisedmovementonwhich#MeTooandBlackLivesMatterwouldbemodelled.Theopposingviewseesitasanabjectfailureandhistoricallyirrelevant.ThisverdictwasneatlysummedupbytheNewYorkTimesfinancialcolumnistAndrewRossSorkinwhenhepredicted,ayearonfromtheevent:“Itwillbeanasteriskinthehistorybooks,ifitgetsamentionatall.”LeaningtowardsthelattercampisMicahWhite,themanwhoco-wrotetheemailthatsummonedthewholething.TenyearsagoWhitewassenioreditorofAdbusters,ananti-consumeristmagazinebasedinVancouver,Canada.RunbyKalleLasn,aseptuagenarianformermarketresearchcompanyowner,Adbustershadareputationasaprovocative,stylish,anti-establishmentpublication.MicahWhite,whoco-wrotetheemailthatstartedOccupy:‘Ifyoulookatthelast10years,activismhasnotworked.’Photograph:TravWilliamsLikemanyradicalsatthetime,themagazine’seditorialcollectivewasimpressedbythepopularuprisinginEgypt’sTahirSquarethathadbroughtdownHosniMubarak.InresponsetheydecidedtoissueanAmericancall-to-armsor,moreaccurately,legs.TheywantedprotesterstogetdowntoNewYork’sfinancialdistrict.“OnSeptember17,”theywrotetotheirsubscriberslistinmid-July2011,“wewanttosee20,000peoplefloodintolowerManhattan,setuptents,kitchens,peacefulbarricadesandoccupyWallStreetforafewmonths.Oncethere,weshallincessantlyrepeatonesimpledemandinapluralityofvoices.”Theold1968revolutionarysloganwas“berealistic–demandtheimpossible”.ButthedemandLasnandWhitesuggestedwassurprisinglypossible,ifunlikely.TheycalledonBarackObamato“ordainapresidentialcommissiontaskedwithendingtheinfluencemoneyhasoverourrepresentativesinWashington”.TheemailwastakenupbythehackergroupAnonymousandspreadthroughradicalcircles.Itworked.RatherliketheSexPistols’legendarygigatthe100Club,whichhalfofLondonlaterclaimedtohaveattended,manypeoplehavesincesuggestedtheywerepartofthatfirstday.Infact,therewerearound1,000whoactuallymadetheirway,afteracoupleoffalsestarts,toZuccottiPark,betweenBroadwayandChurchStreet.WhitebelievesthatOWSamountstothe“bestsocialmovementfromatechnicalperspective”ofthepastdecade.Yetheseesitasafailurebothinachievingwhatitsetouttodoatthetimeandinitslong-termimpact.“Ithinkifyoulookatthelast10years,activismhasnotworked,”hesays.PerhapsthefirstthingtosayaboutZuccottiParkisthatit’snotapark.Instead,it’saprivatelyownedpublicspacewithgranitepavingandameagresmatteringofyoungtreesthatliesacoupleofblocksfromtheoldWorldTradeCenter.IntheUKwe’dcallitasmallsquare.Butowingtoitsprivatestatus,itaffordedacertainprotectionfromimmediateeviction.TheacademicandactivistCornelWeststopstotalktodemonstratorsinZucottiPark,September2011.Photograph:LucasJackson/ReutersAmongthatfirstgroupwhodidgotherewereMarisaHolmes,thena25-year-oldanarchistfilm-makerwhohadalreadyvisitedTahirSquare,andGraeber,whowouldgoontowritetheinfluentialBullshitJobs,whichcontendedthatmostjobswereneedlessandmeaningless,beforehisprematuredeathlastyear.ThatfirstnightHolmesorganisedageneralassembly.“Wewereonadinnerbreakandwehadpeanutbuttersandwichesprovidedbythefoodcommittee,”sherecalls.“Davidwantedmetofacilitate.AtthetimeIwasnotprepared.”OnereasonHolmes,andeveryoneelse,wasalittleunreadywasbecausenoonewasexpectingmuchofaturnout,despiteAdbusters’callfor20,000.Buteventhoughthegatheringwasnowherenearthatsize,itwasstillbiggerthananyearliereffortsatprotestinthearea.“PreviousattemptstogotoWallStreetordoanykindofcampinthatareahadbeenrelativelysmallandnotveryeffectual,”saysHolmes.Generalassemblies,foodcommittees:thisisthelanguageoforganisedprotest.ButOWSprideditselfonitsleaderlessprinciple–astancethatwouldbringmuchcriticism–andonreachingdecisionsbypublicdebateandgroupconsent.Todothis,anovelmeansofpublicaddresswasemployedwhichbecameknownasthe“people’smicrophone”.Aspeakerwouldshoutoutafewwords,whichwouldthenbechantedbythosecloseby,andthenrechantedbyeveryoneelse.Itwasalaboriousmeansofconveyinginformation,butmanyfoundthemassparticipation“empowering”.ThefailuretocreateonesimpledemandwasanunavoidablestrategicerrorAlmostimmediatelyastrategicschismemerged.Theoriginalundertakingto“incessantlyrepeatonesimpledemand”nevermaterialised.Whitedraftedaresolutionoutliningthedemand,whichheemailedtoHolmes,butitwasgentlyrejected.“WhenOccupystarted,”herecalls,“wekindofsteppedbackandwedidn’twanttogothereasleaders,andtherewasamoodoflike,wealsodon’twantyoutogothere.ThefailuretocreatethedemandwasastrategicerrorthatwasunavoidablebasedontheprevailingprefigurativeanarchisminNewYorkCityatthattime.”He’sreferringtotheanarchistprinciple,emphasisedbyGraeber,thatthewayradicalsorganisenowshouldreflectthesortofsocietytheywanttobuildinthefuture.Inthatidealisedsociety,debatewouldreplacedemands.“Theywantedtotestthatout,”saysWhite.“And,congratulations,itdidnotwork.”Holmesdoesn’taccepttheanalysisorcriticism.ShepointsoutthatAdbusterswasamagazinebasedinCanada“thatwasjustmakingtheseproclamations”andwasn’tinvolvedinorganisationontheground.Asearlyas20August,shesays,atthepre-planningstage,“wedecidednottohavedemands,throughaconsensusprocessintheassemblyofmaybe50peoplethatweretherethatnight”.AbridewalkspastOccupyprotestersastheycrosstheBrooklynBridgeon1October2011.Photograph:MarioTama/GettyImagesItmaysoundlikeanarcanedifferenceofopinionbutit’safundamentalissueofmeansandends,valuesandresults,processandchange,theeternalbattlebetweenthepragmatistandtheidealist.Whitewantedtogainmomentumbyorganisingaroundasingleoverwhelmingdemandthatwouldengageuniversalpopularsupport.Holmeswantedtosetupamakeshiftsocietythatwouldbeamodelforthefuture.ItwasHolmeswhosleptoutinthesquare.WhiteremainedathomeinBerkeley,California,stayingincontactwiththeorganisers,anddidn’tvisitituntilthefollowingMay,bywhichtimetheprotesthadfragmentedintoanoccasionalspectacle.“OuraimwastostayaslongaspossibleandinspirethecreationofademocraticmovementintheUnitedStates,”saysHolmes.“Andourlong-termgoalswereaboutpractice,aboutencouragingaculturalshifttowardamoreegalitariandemocraticculture.”“Horizontalism”wasthewatchword,thebeliefininvolvingeveryoneinthedecision-makingprocesswithoutanypyramidalstructureofleadership.Itwasanapproachthatcalledforanawfullotofmeetings.Manyactivistslovemeetings.Whiteisnotoneofthem.“IthinkI’monthespectrum,”hesays.“It’sathingI’vealwayswonderedabout:whybuildsocialmovementswhenIliketobealonesomuch?”Holmes,however,isameetingsperson.Andshewasnotalone.Ina2016filmshemadeaboutOWScalledAllDayAllWeek,weseeanumberofmostlyyoungpeopleexcitedbyoutreachmeetings,actionsgroups,legalgroups,communicationsgroups,townplanning,treasuryandcomfortgroups,foodcommitteesandstudentassemblies.Therewasevenademandsgroup,thatdulyfailedtocomeupwithanydemands.SignsonthefloorinZuccottiPark.Photograph:MichaelNagle/GettyImagesInthefilmyoucanseeaperformativeaspecttotheoccupation,andnotjustinthedrummersandbuskerswhoseemtoprovideanendlessnoisysoundtracktotheproceedings.It’sthereintheposesstruckbytheearnestyoungpeopleaddressingthecrowds,asthoughtheywerealltooawareoftheiconographyofrevolutionaryuprisings.Althoughtheautumnalweathersoonturnedcold,peoplekeptcomingintheearlydays,andthecrowdskeptswelling.Thepolicemadecontinualattemptstostemtheflowbyinsistingthatalltentsandpermanentstructuresberemoved,butLibertyPlaza,asitwasrenamedbytheprotesters,heldfirm.On25September,protestersmarchedfromtheplazatoUnionSquare,wherethepolicepepper-sprayedscreamingdemonstratorsandarresteddozensofactivists.Thesceneswerecapturedonsmartphonesandquicklywentviral,turningupontheeveningnews,whichservedtobringmorepeopletotheprotest.“Themorethestatebeatusdown,”saidHolmes,“themoresupportwereceived.”Therewerealsocelebrityvisitors,suchasthefilm-makerMichaelMooreandtheradicalacademicCornelWest.ArumouralsowentroundthatRadioheadweregoingtopayavisitandplayaconcertinsolidarity.“Radioheadwillplayasurpriseshowfor#occupywallstreettodayatfourintheafternoon,”Occupyorganiserswroteinanemailtosupporters.Hadthebandactuallyturnedup,thereisthequestionofwhethertheywouldhavebeenallowedbytheoccupierstoperform,andhowlongitwouldhavetakentoreachthatdecision.AtOccupyAtlanta,oneofthemanyproteststhatOWSspurred,thecivil-rightslegendJohnLewisturneduptoaddressthecrowd.Butbeforehecouldspeak,theoccupiersfirsthadtodebatewhetherheshouldbeallowedtospeak,aprocessthat,employingthepeople’smicrophonerepetitionmethod,wasdestinedtobelengthy.Protester:Howdowefeel…Thecrowd:Howdowefeel…Protester:…aboutCongressman…Crowd:…aboutCongressman…Protester:…JohnLewis…Crowd:…JohnLewis…Protester:…addressingtheassembly…Crowd:…addressingtheassembly…After20minutesoflisteningtothisbackandforth,Lewisleft,havingnotaddressedthegathering.AlthoughtheRadioheadrumourwassoonexposedasfalse,morepeoplecameflockingtotheplazaunNewYork.ForoneyoungprotesterfromBrooklyn,thenewarrivalswerenotawhollypositivedevelopment.NegestiCantave,whonowworksinthemusicindustry,saysthatwhileshefeelstheworkofOWSwaswellintentioned,itwasn’teffective.“Ithinkthereweremorelonger-lastingnegativeimpactsforNewYorkers,”shesays.“Therewasalargeinfluxofpeoplefromoutofstate,somepeopleevencominginternationally,andIthinkthelegacyofOccupyWallStreethastodowiththenonprofitindustrialcomplex[thevoluntary/NGOsector]andgentrification.”Horizontalismfalteredwhenitmethomelessness.NooneknewhowtodealwithpeoplewhohadreallybeenletdownItseemsunlikelythatvisitorstoOWSwouldhavehadmuchofaneffectonthevoluntarysectororhousinginacitythesizeofNewYork,yetCantave’sobservationdoesspeakofaclassdivide.“It’snotoftentalkedabout,”shesays,“buttherewasafairamountofwealthypeoplewhoparticipated.”Cantaveherselfonlyspentonenightsleepingoutintheplaza.ShewaslivinginNewYorkanyway,shesays,and“therewerealotofissuesintermsofhowthecitychosetosabotagethatspace.Itwasnotalwaysasafespaceforwomenorfemale-presenting,female-identifiedpeople.”Yetbycomparisonwithsleepingoutelsewhereinthecity,itwasrelativelysafe.Andwithits“people’skitchen”andrelativestreet-safety,theoccupationalsoattractedagrowingnumberofhomelesspeople,whowerenotaccustomedtomeetings,debateoractiveparticipation.AsonewitnesstestifiesinAllDayAllWeek,horizontalismfalteredwhenitmethomelessness.Noonehadtheexpertiseorknowledgetodealwithpeoplewhohadreallybeenletdownbythesystemtheywereallprotestingagainst.“Almostallofusweretotallyignorantabouthowtodoit,”headmits.Cantavesaysshecanrememberalivelydiscussionaboutwhethertheywereorganisingaprotestprojectorprovidingsocialservices.“Idefinitelythinkwewerenotequippedtoprovidesocialservices,”shesays,butnotesthatmanyhomelesspeoplealsowantedtogetinvolvedinorganising.Thefactis,eveninthemostegalitarianofsettings,somepeoplearepractisedindiscursivedynamicsandothersstruggletomaketheirvoicesheard.ToDavidGraeber,forexample,OWSwastherealisationofabelief,hesaysinHolmes’sfilm,thathehadpsychologicallyacceptedwasn’tgoingtohappen.“Andthenithappens,”hesaid,“andyousay,‘Oh,allright,I’vebeensayingforyearsthiswasgoingtohappen.’Anditdid!Itwasamazing.”Totheacademic,itwasatheorythathadbeenputintopractice.Someofhisfellowprotesterswerecommittedonamorepracticallevel.Inthefilm,ChrisGotono,whoranthepeople’skitchen,saysthathenoticedclass,genderandracialdivisionsinwhowasworking,andhecomplainsofbeingtakenforgranted,doingthe“unglamoroushardworkofkeepingthatparkgoingdayinanddayout,whileotherpeoplehadtheoreticalconversationsontheoreticalproblemsontheoreticalmattersandthenwentontheirtheoreticalmarchesafterwards”.OccupyNigeriaprotestsinLagos,January2012,sparkedbyamovetoendfuelsubsidiesinthecountry.Twoweekslater,PresidentGoodluckJonathanpartiallyrestoredthesubsidy.Photograph:SundayAlamba/APAcombinationofinternaltensions,exhaustionandworseningweatherbegantounderminemoraleamongtheoccupiersandthintheirnumbers.Ultimately,itwasfinishedoffbyMayorBloomberg,actingonbehalfofZuccottiPark’sownersBrookfieldProperties,whosentintheNYPDtodismantlethecampon15November,justundertwomonthsafterithadbeenassembled.Despiteseveralattemptstore-occupythespaceandothersinthearea,theprotesteffectivelycametoanend.“Themovementneverreallyrecovered,”saysHolmesattheendofherfilm.Italsoendedanexperimentinsocialandpoliticalorganisation.However,WallStreet,andthewholefinancialandcorporatesector,remainedalmostentirelyuntouchedbythetwo-monthlongoccupation.Itchangednobankingpractices,broughtforthnocorporateregulation.Bythatmeasureitwaswidelyseenasafailure.TheArabspring,whichhadbeentheoriginalinspirationformanyoftheorganisers,hadledarguablytoaworseoutcomeformanyofthecountriesinvolved–inJuly,Tunisia’spresident,KaisSaied,dismissedthecountry’sprimeministerandsuspendedparliament.Initsownway,OWSwasadjudgedtobeequallycounterproductive.PoliticalandeconomiclifecontinuedasbeforeintheUSandelsewhere,and,ifanything,therewasalurchtothepopulistright,embodiedmostegregiouslybyDonaldTrump’selectionin2016.Yet,adecadeon,OWSisfrequentlycitedastheprecursortoarangeofinitiativesanddevelopments,suchasBlackLivesMatterortheUK’sExtinctionRebellion.“Ithinkinanumberofways[BLM]arepartofthelegacy,”saysHolmes,whoiswhite.“There’soverlapinthepeoplewhocamethroughOccupyandthepeoplewhowerelaterinvolvedinthesemovements.”Cantave,whoisblack,isnotsoconvincedofthelineage.ProtestorsFromOccupyLondoninatentoutsideStPaul’sCathedral.Photograph:OliScarff/GettyImages“Idon’tthinkthattheOccupymovementitselfinfluencedBlackLivesMatter,”shesays.“TherewereindividualswhoparticipatedinOccupywholaterparticipatedinBlackLivesMatter,butIbelievethattheBlackLivesMatterprotestfallsmuchmoreinalegacyofblackprotestsinAmerica.”MicahWhite,whoismixed-racedwithanAfricanAmericanfatherandawhitemother,believesthatthelinksbetweenOWSandBLMarenotjustanoverlapinindividualprotesters,butalsotheadoptionofamodel.“Weshowedpeoplethatitwaspossibletocreatesomethinglikeasocialmovementwithsofewresources,”hesays.TheDemocraticpartyrealisedthattheleftisnotassmallastheythoughtTheothermajordevelopmentinwhichOWSisoftencitedistheDemocraticparty’sshifttotheleft.BothElizabethWarrenandBernieSandersdrewactivistsupportfromformerOccupiers.Onthis,Cantaveisinagreement.“That’s100%true,”shesays.“TherewasarealisationthattheleftisnotnecessarilyassmallasmaybetheDemocraticpartythoughtitwas.AndIthinktheDemocraticpartywasforcedtospeaktothatbaseinamoreseriousway.”White,however,ismoresceptical.“Thatisoneofthosebeautifulideasthatwecomeupwithtomakeourselvesfeelbetter,”hesays,arguingthattruerevolutionariessetouttorealisetheirownideals.Non-revolutionaries,hesays,are“quitehappythatthelegacyofOccupyisBernieSandersandAOC[AlexandriaOcasio-Cortez].Gradualchangeinthefutureatsomeunknownperiodoftime.That’snotwhatwewereabout,though.”AprotesteroutsideStPaul’sCathedralispulledawaybypolice.Photograph:DanKitwood/GettyImagesForallhisrevolutionaryfervour,WhitehassincegoneontoaddressDavos–adecisionhejustifieswiththecomparisonofCheGuevaraaddressingtheUN–andisnowafatherandworksincryptocurrency.Hesaysthathe“detest[s]groupthink”andhenolongerwantstobe“partofanideologicalscene”.Attheendofherfilm,whenHolmesadmitsthattheZuccottiParkevictionmarkedtheendofOWS,thereisanairofdejectioninhernarration.“Inmanyways,”sheconcludes,“theglobalrevolutionthatwehavebeenpartofwastransformedintoacounterrevolution.”YetbothsheandCantaveremainfirmbelieversinanarchism.HolmesiscurrentlyworkingonaPhDinmediastudiesandcontinuestobecommittedtotheidealsthatfirsttookhertoZuccottiPark.ShethinksthatWhite’sapparentabandonmentofthoseidealsis“reallysad”andsuggeststhatitwashislackoforganisingexperienceandworkingalongsideothersthatproducedwhatsheseeashispessimism.“Imean,Idefinitelyhavemymomentsfeelingburntoutandfrustrated.Itcangetreallyroughinthefaceofstaterepression.But,youknow,withalongview,”shesays,breakingintoasmile,“Ithinkwhatwedidwassuccessful.”TopicsTheObserverOccupyWallStreetProtestUSpoliticsInequalityfeaturesReusethiscontentMoreonthisstoryMoreonthisstoryDavidGraeberobituaryThegrowingOccupyIcemovement:'We'rehereforthelonghaul'HundredsofOccupyCityHallprotestersdemandNYPDcutbudgetby$1bnIco-foundedOccupyWallStreet.NowI'mheadedtoDavos.Why?Streetsonfire:howadecadeofprotestshapedtheworldWherearetheOccupyprotestersnow?NewYorksettleswithOccupyWallStreetdemonstratorsPussyRiotmembersvisitOccupyactivistCecilyMcMillaninprisonMostpopularMostpopularUSWorldEnvironmentSoccerUSPoliticsBusinessTechScienceNewslettersFighttovote