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cal04

(41,505 posts)
Wed Dec 21, 2011, 11:41 PM Dec 2011

Occupy protesters take aim at Rose Parade

Pasadena police and Tournament of Roses officials have been negotiating with Occupy leaders for several weeks to prevent problems. Protesters will be allowed to march after all the floats have gone.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-occupy-rose-parade-20111222,0,7810364.story

(snip)
"It's Occupy 2.0 and why not start on New Year's Day in Pasadena?" said Daniel Niwander, an activist with Occupy Pasadena.

Pasadena police and Tournament of Roses officials have been negotiating with Occupy forces for several weeks on a plan that they hope will prevent any disruptions to the parade. Pasadena officials are allowing the Occupy group to march the route at the end of the parade, after all the floats have passed.

(snip)
Protesters intend to march with large banners that decry wealth inequality in the United States and to unveil a few colorful "floats" of their own, including a giant people-powered octopus, said Pete Thottam, an Occupy spokesman. The octopus will be made out of recycled bags, stretching 40 feet from tentacle to tentacle, and is designed to represent the stranglehold that Wall Street has on the political process, he said.

Others will carry large blow-ups of the Constitution, one with the words "We the People" and the other "We the Corporations," he said. Planned speakers include Cindy Sheehan, an antiwar activist who lost her son in the Iraq war, local Occupy activists and possibly leftist documentarian Michael Moore.
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Occupy protesters take aim at Rose Parade (Original Post) cal04 Dec 2011 OP
I thought the floats frazzled Dec 2011 #1
The Occupy parade is not part of the Rose Parade... GReedDiamond Dec 2011 #3
My guess ... frazzled Dec 2011 #6
"...will the cameras stay on or go off...?" GReedDiamond Dec 2011 #11
If they keep it peaceful that would be OK. demosincebirth Dec 2011 #2
Lets hope it's peaceful prepperdad Dec 2011 #4
They thought by changing the date of the parade to Jan 2nd Politicalboi Dec 2011 #5
...and their dog too!!! U4ikLefty Dec 2011 #10
I do believe that the 1% are seeking new ways to demonize the movement. Fire Walk With Me Dec 2011 #7
K&R (nt) T S Justly Dec 2011 #8
Occupy all parades idahoblue Dec 2011 #9

frazzled

(18,402 posts)
1. I thought the floats
Wed Dec 21, 2011, 11:47 PM
Dec 2011

had to be made of "natural material (such as flowers, plants, seaweeds, seeds, bark, vegetables, or nuts)." I tangentially know someone who has worked on the floats a lot, and the rules are pretty stringent. They're getting a big break if they can use bags. Hope they're paper, not plastic.

I don't ever watch the parade, so I don't personally care what the floats use. I'm just a little surprised the officials agreed to the actual format of the float; but it's good they're letting them march.

GReedDiamond

(5,299 posts)
3. The Occupy parade is not part of the Rose Parade...
Thu Dec 22, 2011, 12:09 AM
Dec 2011

...the TofA people are just letting the Occupy "parade" to occur after the Rose Parade is done and over.

Therefore, the Occupy "floats" do no have to follow the "natural materials" rules that the TofR entrants must.

I am frankly surprised the Authorities (Pasadena city govt and cops, as well as the TofR officials), are allowing the Occupy people to do this.

Security at the Rose Parade is super tight, the cops have zero tolerance for any type of disturbance, whether it's before, during or immediately after the event.

I'm a local but I rarely go to the Rose Parade. In over thirty years of living here, I've only watched it in person maybe three or four times.

I may have to check it out this year, though.

If I go, I'll be sure to get some pictures and post them here.

frazzled

(18,402 posts)
6. My guess ...
Thu Dec 22, 2011, 01:21 AM
Dec 2011

They figured they would either have a disruptive protest, or they could offer a compromise that would permit the parade to go on as normal, with an assurance of no disruptions, and give the protesters a more structured outlet in return. The question is: will the national cameras stay on or go off after the last Tournament of Roses float.

In a way, this is a form of co-optation. What surprises me more than the Tournament authorities offering this is that the Occupy people accepted. I'm glad about that, because I don't like messages to be given disruptively: I think it's counterproductive. But I'm a little surprised.

GReedDiamond

(5,299 posts)
11. "...will the cameras stay on or go off...?"
Thu Dec 22, 2011, 02:53 AM
Dec 2011

I'm betting on the cameras going way off.

But, I tend to agree that, the best tactic for OccupyPas is to take the post-parade Occupy "parade" option.

The TofA Parade does not happen if Jan 1st is on a Sunday - it interferes w/people going to church!! - so they delay it by a day.

Which is the case this year - in Pasadena, New Year's Day 2012 is is on Jan 2, because that's the date for the Rose Parade.

This calendar-dictated situation reminds me of the origin of the Pasadena Doo Dah Parade (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doo_Dah_Parade).

Some (presumably) drunk guys in a Pasadena bar came up with the idea for the 1st Doo Dah Parade (Jan 1, 1978), which was organized originally to make up for the lack of a Jan 1st Rose parade.

The OccupyPas people should consider an actual Jan 1st action, since there is no Rose Parade on that day, but I suppose they've already considered that option.

 

prepperdad

(103 posts)
4. Lets hope it's peaceful
Thu Dec 22, 2011, 12:15 AM
Dec 2011

I feel that authorities are using isolated incidents of violence to paint the entire Occupy Movement as a bunch of dangerous extremists. The protesters should not give the cops any opportunities in this one.


[url]http://www.survivingeconomiccollapse.net[/url]

 

Politicalboi

(15,189 posts)
5. They thought by changing the date of the parade to Jan 2nd
Thu Dec 22, 2011, 12:36 AM
Dec 2011

Was enough to keep "hippies" away. Damn those kids.

 

Fire Walk With Me

(38,893 posts)
7. I do believe that the 1% are seeking new ways to demonize the movement.
Thu Dec 22, 2011, 01:22 AM
Dec 2011

Last edited Thu Dec 22, 2011, 02:20 AM - Edit history (1)

Note that after Denver, the next weapon turned against #Occupy is and will be conniving and set-ups in order to demonize the movement.

What if hundreds, thousands of #Occupiers show up at the parade and suddenly at the last minute, get the carpet pulled out from under them. Will they riot? Will they do anything negative WITH ALL THOSE TELEVISION CAMERAS AROUND? Just waiting to suck up and endlessly recycle it?

What would happen if we, the 1%, set up and knock down thousands of #Occupiers on live television? Let's kick over the anthill and see what they do...

idahoblue

(377 posts)
9. Occupy all parades
Thu Dec 22, 2011, 02:14 AM
Dec 2011

In most towns all you have to do to be in whatever parade is happening is pay a small fee and say what you are. I think a vague description would do in most cases. 4th of July around the country?

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