por Yáshenka Baca
In SF, the Occupy SF protest struggles to keep itself standing. (PHOTO BY OCCUPY SF)
Access to a laundry and bathrooms can make the difference between success and failure for the branch of Occupy Wall Street in San Francisco, the biggest protest movement in the United States since the ‘60s. The more than 300 permanent residents of the Justin Herman square, in the city’s financial district are looking for the support of local businesses and people who sympathize with the movement in order to solve this problem.
Last week, during a meeting of the Police Commission, its Chief, Greg Suhr, promised the demonstrators that they would get portable lavatories and hand washing facilities. Since then, the only thing that arrived to the encampment was a notice entitled “You are subject to arrest”. The document claims that “the Department of Public Health has noticed that members of Occupy SF are in filthy conditions”, which, according to the police, this is enough reason to arrest them.
Just as the main movement in New York City, the demonstrators of Occupy SF need the neighbors’ support in order to keep their clothes, supplies and themselves clean. The minimum offence could become the reason that officials are waiting for to take over the camp, evict the occupants and destroy the supplies they find, just as they did on October 16 during a raid at night.
In spite of receiving some 80 to 100 small food donations per day, the kitchen at the facility suffers a shortage when attempting to provide with water to all the residents. “We have a great need for drinking water and hot food”, said a demonstrator who receives and distributes the donations that people who support the movement bring on a daily basis.
On its sixth week, the occupation is growing stronger than ever. Support comes in different shapes and from a diverse group of San Francisco residents. From teenagers who come with fast food donations, to seniors of the Bay Area who come to share their knowledge about the problems provoked by the economic crisis.
Charlie, a young man that 1El Reportero saw arriving to the Justin Herman Square, traveled from Colorado for more than three days to join the protest movement in San Francisco. “I am here to get informed and to get to know more about the Federal Reserve Bank, the corporations and the bills that they are trying to pass”, he said to El Reportero. The camp has its own library, with a solid collection of books, which is one of the main assets of the demonstrators who wish to get informed about the system.
The most important day in the following weeks is November 5. The demonstrators are asking the public to withdraw before that date all its money from big banks and transfer it to a credit union or a community bank. The movement Occupy SF is thus seeking to boycott the biggest financial institutions: Bank of America, City Bank, Chase and Wells Fargo. The demonstrators expect that this action affects the banks’ economic system enough to make their voices heard in its stance regarding corporative greed.
According to the demonstrators, the steps that a person needs to follow to withdraw all the money from the bank is: first, open an account at a credit union or a community bank (to find a nearby one go to www.findacreditunion.com/). Second, transfer the funds to the new account, either online or in person before November 5. Third, follow the procedures of your previous bank to close the account.
Whoever wants to support the demonstrators of Occupy SF, one of the hundreds of uprisings all over the nation, can go directly to the encampment; the group has an open arms policy, when welcoming the newcomers. Participation at the General Assembly is open to everyone at 6 p.m., except for Saturdays at 12 pm. Visitors can study at the library or eat at the kitchen. There are also 20 working groups and committees, in which participation is free. The protest is situated in Justin Herman square, at Market with Embarcadero.
