Occupy Detroit Joins Nov. 17 Day Of Action

Occupy Detroit protesters on Thursday were set to join nationwide protests on the two-month anniversary of the Occupy Wall Street movement's initial encampment in New York City.

The local group will also conduct a day of action against austerity measures, including a banner drop, a teach-in, a march on Detroit's City Council building and a rally in Grand Circus Park.

"When you have a mayor who hasn't created any jobs, but gives tax breaks to millionaires and billionaires to move their businesses to the city and then don't pay any taxes for 15 years -- how's that fair to residents who've lived here and are footing that bill for the police and fire and garbage pick-up?"Occupy Detroit spokesman Lee Gaddies told WWJ.

The group's day of action comes the morning after Detroit Mayor Dave bing announced the need for significant austerity measures to avoid an even greater financial crisis in the city. In a Wednesday night address, the mayor called for a further 10 percent wage cut for city workers and an increase in worker contributions to health care coverage. Bing city police and firefighters should give the same concessions.

AFSCME Local 207 President John Riehl, who represents city workers, said on Channel 7 Action news following the mayor's speech that the unions consider Bing to have lost his leadership role. Riehl noted the mayor had already received a 10 percent wage concession from city workers.

"This contract -- he imposed it on us. If he can't live with it, he should look in the mirror," Riehl said. "He's the problem, not the unions."

Occupy Detroit is moving the site of its encampment away from Grand Circus Park and making plans for the winter months. At least one space on Michigan Ave. in southwest Detroit is being used, according to the OccupyDetMi Twitter.

 

 

Comments

[field-man]

01:30 PM on 11/22/2011

6 in 10 Americans dont like the Occupiers, they need to go home

[urnumbersix]

05:22 PM on 11/17/2011

Will someone give me a Legitimate source so I may donate to Occupy Detroit?
I very much want to support them.

Thank you.

[rondohatton2012]

12:22 PM on 11/18/2011

Are you nuts.
The taxpayers have been supporting Detroit for years and the Dems have been stealing the money as soon as it comes in. Save your bucks.

[BVictor1]

12:39 PM on 11/18/2011

The taxpayers have been supporting the welfare states of the south for years. That needs to change immediately.

[camary]

02:13 PM on 11/17/2011

OK all you non Detroiters. While we may be the poster child for econimic failure, but it goes beyond
the politicans. When the Big Three were at their peak, the city was bustling and vibrant. A lot
of our decline is tied to the decline of the domestic auto industry. The decline in union membership,
horrible Mayors and a reign of complete failure at the Governors level. You can witness the decline of any American city that is tied to the auto industry. Dare I mention Cleveland?

If you've never been here, don't judge a book buy its cover. While I live in the suburbs, I frequent the Eastern Market downtown on Saturday mornings. They vendors sell the freshest produce and flowers anywhere. Before shopping, order one of the best Bloody Marys ever with breakfast at Vivio's. The Avalon Bread Company in the Cass corridor makes a cranberry, pecan artisan bread that is to die for. Joe Muer's, a seafood restaurant institution just reopened in the Ren Cen.

We are a hard scrapple people, living in the frozen Tundra of the north. And those of us that live here love it. We are just a bunch of friendly Midwesterners trying to make lemons into lemonade.

[re-elect clinton]

09:55 PM on 11/17/2011

Just because you shop at eastern market doesn't make you a Detroiter...you suburbanite!!! That's like say, just because you go to tiger games that makes you a detroiter. Newsflash!! That make you a tourist.

See at the after hours...lamb.

[freespeech2]

01:30 PM on 11/17/2011

Occupy Detroit? That's the problem - nobody wants to!

[rondohatton2012]

12:22 PM on 11/18/2011

LOL
LOL

[BVictor1]

12:40 PM on 11/18/2011

They should.

Quite a beautiful city.

They even have neighborhoods like this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston-Edison_Historic_District

[lightningbolt]

12:31 PM on 11/17/2011

These "days of action" are a very good idea. When large protests are planned ahead of time, more people can plan to show up. There should be a day of action at least once a month.

[wetbonder]

11:26 AM on 11/17/2011

#OccupyFAILDetroit

Detroit has been owned by the left and run by unions for a million years and that´'s why it is where it is today.

[lightningbolt]

12:29 PM on 11/17/2011

A million years? Seriously? That's how you plan to "educate liberals"? The one who needs an education is you.

[re-elect clinton]

09:57 PM on 11/17/2011

You know how liberal the Indian's were be for the french got here...lol.

[wetbonder]

08:22 AM on 11/18/2011

That was pathetic.

[pooperscoopertoo]

12:54 PM on 11/17/2011

Tell it like it is, Master Chief!!!!! The evil Covnenant have been controlling Deeeeetroit since Colemn Young began robbing it blind years ago.

[liveandlearn]

10:43 AM on 11/17/2011

i can't believe, after the news drought we have had from detroit, that nobody else has commented here yet. we need to occupy the ballot box at each election and to push for dylan ratigan's constitutional amendment to get big money out of our political process.

go, young people! make our country a democracy again!

[rondohatton2012]

12:24 PM on 11/18/2011

Fat chance.