occupy comfort

January 24, 2012 12:32 AM

Where are there current, thriving Occupy encampments?

I'm particularly interested in ones that look like they'll keep going strong throughout the winter. Bonus points if you can tell me more about what that Occupy is doing and what the atmosphere is there.

also feel free to answer this question even if you only notice it months later

posted by aniola to Society & Culture (34 answers total)

Oakland is still going. It's not quite as strong as it was a few weeks ago, but there are still people around.
posted by tau_ceti at 12:46 AM on January 24, 2012

I saw one in Eindhoven, The Netherlands last weekend. It surprised me on several levels, but it looks like they've shrunk a bit.
posted by knile at 1:36 AM on January 24, 2012

London is still there in force at the foot of St Paul's cathedral and at nearby Finsbury Square. I've visited a few times and found it chilled out and relaxed, in a kind of holding pattern. Everyone there looks quite scruffy now; the non-scruffy went home long ago. But they just lost their court case last week and eviction is looming. They're also occupying an abandoned bank (the "Bank of Ideas") and an abandoned courthouse ("Occupy Justice"). See current occupations.
posted by PercussivePaul at 2:27 AM on January 24, 2012

The Rochester NY one just weathered 70 mile an hour wind gusts (and has official permission to stay where they are).
posted by vitabellosi at 3:02 AM on January 24, 2012 [2 favorites]

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.

The mayor and city council are fine with it and there have been no moves made to evict them.
posted by futureisunwritten at 3:37 AM on January 24, 2012

Dublin - Occupy Dame Street is surprisingly long lasting. Has been there since November.

There's been talk of local businesses petitioning to get them evicted, but nothing's happened yet.

There is just about zero news coverage of the protest though. sad.
posted by MarvinJ at 3:40 AM on January 24, 2012

Occupy London's "Occupation Records" launches first album, a compilation featuring music from Tom Morello, Billy Bragg, Anaïs Mitchell, Ani DiFranco, Sam Duckworth and Chumbawamba.
posted by PercussivePaul at 4:15 AM on January 24, 2012 [1 favorite]

There's one in Amsterdam, near the huge department store on Dam square.
posted by mippy at 4:19 AM on January 24, 2012

Washington DC stilll there as of last week.
posted by k8t at 4:22 AM on January 24, 2012

The city is trying to consolidate the two DC camps into one at Freedom Plaza for sanitation reasons, but for now, k8t is right.
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 4:49 AM on January 24, 2012

There's still one in Nottingham's Old Market Square. Video and interviews at the link (to local BBC News).
posted by timpollard at 5:35 AM on January 24, 2012

Are you including house occupations/eviction defense?
posted by andoatnp at 6:07 AM on January 24, 2012

Occupy Maine is still in Portland, despite being buried under about two feet of snow. All the signs decorating their encampment were recently stolen, and tomorrow they go to court over the city's 'notice to vacate'. All in all, though, they have a decent (although not cordial) relationship with the police and city.
posted by anastasiav at 6:20 AM on January 24, 2012

Occupy Edinburgh is still there, although tents are slowly disappearing and eviction is looming, not helped by the frankly disgusting attitude of the local tabloid press. Unfortunately this is even after the local Council recognised the aims of the Occupation in writing. They seem cheery enough when you walk past though.
posted by Happy Dave at 6:24 AM on January 24, 2012

Occupy Raleigh was still there the last time I looked.
posted by Coatlicue at 6:33 AM on January 24, 2012

Occupy New Haven is, thankfully, still going. There has been no real talk about eviction (our local government has supported the movement so far), though some people seem to think that it's costing the city too much money.
posted by eunoia at 6:35 AM on January 24, 2012

Occupy Madison is still there, though not up by the capitol where they used to be. Hardcore! It's cold out.
posted by echo target at 6:47 AM on January 24, 2012

Occupy Buffalo is still there, and has permission from City Hall to stay through the winter. Here is a recent personal account of staying overnight at the Occupy Buffalo camp with some details on how they're set up for the winter.
posted by flex at 6:57 AM on January 24, 2012

Occupy Nashville is still going and I think has an injunction against the state to keep them from being evicted, though apparently there's a bill in the general assembly to amend the law to allow them to be removed.
posted by ghharr at 7:13 AM on January 24, 2012

Austin TX has one at City Hall.
posted by Pants! at 7:17 AM on January 24, 2012

Smaller Occupies in central Illinois have not been 24/7 Occupies from the beginning (though most did a week or a month of 24/7 occupying), but they have been holding weekly rallies and general assemblies. Occupy Peoria has become very active with local politics and winter homelessness; Occupy Galesburg is occupying once a month; Occupy Bloomington-Normal (aka Occupy Blo-No) has an active encampment on the ISU campus and one of their occupiers was in the NYT on Sunday (#4). Occupy Champaign-Urbana also does periodic protests and has been occupying a community radio station. Most small local Occupys sent delegates to the various federal courthouses across the state last week to protest Citizens United. It was a big demonstration for as frigid as it was, most of the lawyers I know were talking about it because it was an unusually large courthouse protest, and very unusually large for winter.

These are not large enough cities to really support full-time occupations (unless college is in session), but they have timed their larger protests and temporary full-time protests in solidarity with bigger Occupy actions.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 7:19 AM on January 24, 2012

DC still has two different (somewhat competing) camps...for now.
posted by JoanArkham at 7:20 AM on January 24, 2012

Response by poster: Are you including house occupations/eviction defense?
That would be peachy.
posted by aniola at 8:17 AM on January 24, 2012

Occupy Austin is still going. I don't think many people are actually sleeping there, but some are - and our City Hall has a covered seating area that's the default sleeping bag spot, so between that and the weather (mild,) winter isn't so much an issue.
posted by restless_nomad at 8:20 AM on January 24, 2012

Occupy Atlanta is running a 24/7 home occupation/eviction defense at 404 Glen Iris.
posted by andoatnp at 9:10 AM on January 24, 2012

I just got an email from Occupy Madison. They're set up at their new location, but are looking for supplies like a cooking stove.
posted by desjardins at 11:33 AM on January 24, 2012

Chicago is very active in terms of rallies, but I'm pretty sure there's no permanent encampment.
posted by artemisia at 4:38 PM on January 24, 2012

Occupy Houston is going strong. The worst of our winter is over, and our Mayor is basically supportive. Here is what they're up to.
posted by MexicanYenta at 6:29 PM on January 24, 2012

Providence still has an encampment. Not sure it's "thriving" from what I've seen, but I was talking to a guy the other day who was organizing for it, so I guess they're still planning things.
posted by geegollygosh at 6:48 PM on January 24, 2012

Holding on by our fingernails at Occupy Tucson. The camping gear and structures are gone, but there is a core group of hard-grounders (up to 2 dozen or so some nights) who are sleeping on the sidewalks adjacent to Pancho Villa Park. The population grows during the day with demonstrations, sign-waving, and marches. No more cooking facilities, but there are usually enough volunteers coming by with food. We've had over 700 arrests of over 100 people (most for being in the park after hours), and the police have to date been pretty tolerant and not at all violent. The first court cases are coming to trial in a few weeks. We had an unprecedented plea bargain with the city, with some accepting their offer of no admission of guilt, no permanent record, no fines, and varying amounts of community service with any registered non-profit, based on number of arrests. Many of us prefer to take our chances in city court. We also have a Federal case filed. We have some fantastic pro-bono attorneys working on our behalf, and hope that if we must appeal, we will be able to find donations to continue our cases.
posted by QuakerMel at 6:33 PM on January 25, 2012

Occupy Lubbock has the approval of the local community, City Hall, and police.
posted by shii at 4:35 AM on January 26, 2012

Occupy Chicago just rented an office space, but I believe artemisia is correct, there's nowhere with tents setup.
posted by garlic at 3:19 PM on January 26, 2012

Occupy London was evicted from St Paul's last week, but is still going strong at nearby Finsbury Square.
posted by PercussivePaul at 3:28 AM on March 5, 2012

Occupy Rochester has been asked to leave and given a date to be out.
posted by vitabellosi at 12:46 PM on March 5, 2012