Nationally, the Occupy movement is growing, both in number of followers and in donation dollars. As unions throw their support behind the protesters it becomes increasingly more likely that the protests will continue through the winter.
Occupy Wall Street raised some eyebrows this week after reporting they have received nearly half a million dollars—$435,000—in donations, which they expect to use on supplies that will help occupiers outlast the winter weather.
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As weather cools, movement heats up
Nationally, the Occupy movement is growing, both in number of followers and in donation dollars. As unions throw their support behind the protesters it becomes increasingly more likely that the protests will continue through the winter.
Saria Dy / Vanguard StaffAn Occupy Portland protester makes a sign under a tarp shelter.
Occupy Wall Street raised some eyebrows this week after reporting they have received nearly half a million dollars—$435,000—in donations, which they expect to use on supplies that will help occupiers outlast the winter weather.
Imre Ilyes, a Portland State alum, works with media relations for Occupy Portland, which is currently settled in Chapman Square. He says he is happy with the movement’s growth towards working with actual issues.
The movement is currently working to promote the Move Your Money Project, which asks that on Nov. 5, customers with large banks consider moving their assets to a community credit union.
Justin Jennings is a community member familiar with the movement, and because he is tired of the big banks’ restrictions, there is a real possibility that he will make the switch. “I’ve been with my bank for six years, have done all the right things, have no balance on my credit card, but I still feel like I can’t get anywhere with them,” Jennings said.
Occupy Portland is also working with a city charter subcommittee on converting the elections process for city council members and city commissioners to instant run-off voting, which would essentially rank candidates. Similar to a Likert scale, instant run-off voting allows a voter to rank the candidates in order of preference, which Ilyes believes will help combat smear campaigns, among other things.
We’re trying to institute the change at a city level, Ilyes said. “It gives minorities votes. We feel like that is a good step, and I’m personally excited about that.”
Ilyes also noted a different mindset held throughout the park these days regarding regulation and compliance.
“We are occupying, and thinking of not doing a nonprofit and doing something drastically different to make a point. We didn’t ask for permission to occupy the parks, we didn’t file anything for our march. Sticking to that ideology, some feel we should not become a nonprofit, and whatever IRS rules we come up against…we are working against the system,” Ilyes said.
The protesters have had good a good relationship with police so far, according to Ilyes, and after Portland Mayor Sam Adams reminded the occupiers that medical marijuana was not legal in the park blocks, Ilyes says that compliance is working on both sides.
“Marijuana has not been a problem. We passed and started enforcing several guidelines with regard to open drug use. The police are not raiding or going into any tents. They are prosecuting people who are possessing or selling marijuana,” Ilyes said.
Although the population of occupiers has grown, there are no immediate plans for expansion outside of the parks Occupy Portland currently inhabits. “The space is pretty crowded,” Ilyes said. “From what I understand a lot of shelters are pointing people towards us. It has put quite a strain on us internally.”
