Oct 22: Brighton Park, Occupy Atlantic City Meeting. (Photos Josh Kinney)
ATLANTIC CITY — The city’s Brighton Park was occupied Saturday afternoon, Oct. 22, by a group of more than 30 frustrated people who stood in solidarity with the Occupy Wall Street movement. This was the second general assembly for the Occupy Atlantic City group organized by Andrea Egizi and Tiffany Csaszar.
With close to 400 Twitter followers in just a few days and almost the same amount of Facebook fans, Occupy Atlantic City’s social media footprint is growing. Soon, say organizers, the group will decide on a day and place to begin camping out and protesting in Atlantic City.
“Technically we’ll be creating a small village,” Csaszar tells Atlantic City Weekly. The group plans to create a similar environment to the Occupy movement in New York City and Philadelphia with tents and signs, occupying the space “until we get answers,” according to Csaszar.
So far the group has a property in mind, but has not disclosed the information yet. However, they members did say they were looking into state property that was visible and without a noise ordinance. The well-researched group plans to keep the protest non-violent and completely legal the National Lawyer’s Guild supporting them.
On index cards, gatherers on Saturday at Brighton Park wrote what they felt was the most important issue to them on a national and local level. Also discussed were various ideas about what direction to take Occupy Atlantic City. The organizers have traveled to the Occupy movements in Boston, New York, Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia in order to gain insight.
Local independent filmmaker Jeff McGil stopped by to check out the meeting Saturday and shoot some footage for his YouTube channel. M.K. Thomas, chairman of the fine arts commission in Atlantic City was also in attendance. As a single mother with two kids and facing foreclosure, Egizi pointed to her children and said, “I’m doing this for them.”
In recent weeks, following the five-week long Occupation Wall Street rally in New York, similar
“Occupy” movements have sprung up across New Jersey, in places such as Patterson, Newark, Jersey City, Absecon, Red Bank, Camden, South Jersey and Cumberland County, in response to the national movement.
Occupy Atlantic City members plan to meet again Saturday, Oct, 29, back at Brighton Park.
See Photos: Occupy Atlantic City, Brighton Park, Oct. 22, 2011
Further Reading: Occupy South Jersey Meets in Ocean City
Since then, I’ve been thinking. I had spent the last few weeks covering Occupy Atlantic City. Suddenly, I was smack dab in the middle of Wall Street. And, like most Americans, I sat back and tried to balance the good from both sides. It’s why so many of us have money invested in Wall Street, as we support the messengers of change "occupying" it.
“You can disagree with the way the protests are going about things, but agree that Wall Street is out of control. When the bottom falls out the tip doesn’t realize that they’re screwed too.”
"Please join us — as history will be made in Atlantic City and we want every one of you, your families and your friends, to be a part of it."
It was announced the encampment and occupation of Atlantic City would begin this coming Saturday, Nov. 19, at a location to be announced.
“Atlantic City, Vegas, Reno, Wall Street is the real casino,” shouted protesters, “We are the 99% and so are you.”
The group wants a totally peaceful and family-friendly occupation, keeping everything legal with strictly no drugs, violence, alcohol or weapons at the Atlantic City encampment. “We have high hopes and we know that we are capable of doing big things if we all work together.”
"I believe in the American dream. If you work hard and get a good education, you will do well and our kids should do better. Yet it's absolutely the reverse of that it seems.”
After a tour of the area the Occupy Atlantic City organizers agreed among themselves that their next in-person meeting would be at Brighton Park, in Atlantic City, Saturday, Oct. 22, at 11am.
Washington, DC tells us the recession is over, when many of us seem to be living through a depression. We hear from politicians at all levels what they are doing for us, when many of us seem to think they are the problem. Americans want to go home again. We remember and long for a simpler time and better place… the land of the free and the home of the brave.
Bell's Critical Race Theory, which suggests that the U.S. legal system, among other institutions in our country, is inherently biased against non-whites, made him a controversial figure in many circles.
An “Occupy South Jersey” rally has been scheduled for Sunday at 3pm at the Bank of America branch on New Road and Bethel Road in Somers Point.
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1. Long John Silver said... on Oct 24, 2011 at 03:02PM
“what r u protesting about?”
2. Anonymous said... on Oct 24, 2011 at 04:39PM
“An excerpt from the Declaration of the Occupation of New York City:
"They have taken our houses through an illegal foreclosure process, despite not having the original mortgage.
They have taken bailouts from taxpayers with impunity, and continue to give Executives exorbitant bonuses.
They have perpetuated inequality and discrimination in the workplace based on age, the color of one’s skin, sex, gender identity and sexual orientation.
They have poisoned the food supply through negligence, and undermined the farming system through monopolization.
They have profited off of the torture, confinement, and cruel treatment of countless nonhuman animals, and actively hide these practices.
They have continuously sought to strip employees of the right to negotiate for better pay and safer working conditions...."
I suggest reading the rest of the Declaration. =]
”
3. Ralph said... on Oct 24, 2011 at 04:39PM
“Hundreds arrested exercising 1st Amendment Rights... None of the bankers that crippled our economy behind bars”