COMMENTARY

Peter Burgess

Occupy Updates: Philip Glass, Lou Reed Occupy Lincoln Center, Boston Riot Police Raid Encampment to Seize a Sink

Here are some of the latest updates from the Occupy movement:

--Last night in New York City there was a large 'Occupy Lincoln Center' action in conjunction with the closing night of Satyagraha, an opera composed by Philip Glass about the life of Mahatma Gandhi. The protest wasn't about the opera itself, but about 'a certain disparity between its lofty moral message and the machinery of corporate arts funding.' The LA Times reports that about 200 protesters attended the action, carrying signs with slogans like 'Gandhi would be pepper sprayed' and 'Opera belongs to the people!'

Several big names joined the protest, including Lou Reed and -- who else? -- Philip Glass, who once drove a cab to support his music career, according to the Times.

Here's a slideshow of photos from the event, and below is a video clip, via the New Yorker's Alex Ross.

http://youtu.be/MUXI3O8SAaQ

http://youtu.be/24Amqas6lvk

Phillip Glass OWS GA

http://youtu.be/NmV95zxFxRA

--Although some 300 Los Angeles occupiers were arrested this week, Occupy LA organizers say they may be down, but they are not out:

Organizers also say that, even thought the encampment at City Hall is over, they will not be silenced and are planning future protests.

More short-lived encampments might spring up at various locations, including banks, the homes of bank executives, or even golf courses and country clubs, protest leaders said.

'Occupy L.A. will not die,' protester Mario Brito said on Wednesday. 'We will live. We will move forward, and the 'Occupy' movement will only become stronger as a result of this very punitive action of the city attorney.'

'The eviction was only of tents... not of our ideas, and definitely not of our movement,' he added.

--Last night Boston police in riot gear raided the Occupy Boston encampment to seize... a sink. They also arrested three people.

--A 'farmers march' will be held this Sunday in New York City. The action is described as 'A gathering of farmers, community gardeners, food activists, and occupiers for dialogue, solidarity, and solutions to corporate control of our food system.'

--Occupy Fort Wayne protesters: 'snow schmow!'

By Lauren Kelley | Sourced from AlterNet

Posted at December 2, 2011, 8:42 am