An article by DNAinfo today discusses the breakdown of negotiations between OWS and residents around Zuccotti Park. This past Friday, 
Councilman Chin hosted a meeting between OWS and some residents to address some concerns about noise, garbage and safety in Zuccotti Park.
Chin commented that the OWS representatives seem very reasonable and agreed to certain restrictions but apparently do not have any real authority to negotiate or enforce any agreements. “The residents in the area are overwhelmed, and rightfully so,” Chin continued. “At this point, I have to conclude that OWS is unable, or unwilling, to address the concerns expressed by the community. We have tried to work with the protesters and to support them, but that support is waning.”
Particularly at issue is drumming. While I am unsure why this is so critical to the protesters, I can completely understand how annoying and awful it would be to hear that constantly if you lived or worked down there. Immediately after Borough President Stringer announced that OWS had agreed to a Good Neighbor Policy which included limited drumming amongst a variety of sanitation and safety issues, an OWS representative announced that there is no agreement with regards to drumming. “At a meeting led by Chin the following day, different Occupy Wall Street representatives said the group had approved the Good Neighbor Policy. But they could not promise to enforce it, which left attendees frustrated, two people who were at the meeting said.” I can understand why!
Naomi Less has participated in several of the negotiations on behalf of OWS. At Monday night’s General Assembly she reminded the protesters not to “pee or poop in public doorways.” Personally, I would have thought that would have been obvious if one is to have a Good Neighbor Policy.
Also commenting on Monday was Mayor Bloomberg, “I’m 1,000 percent in favor of giving people rights to say things,” Bloomberg said, but he added that the city also has to enforce the rights of those who don’t want to protest. “You can’t have a place where only one point of view is allowed,” he said. “You have a right to be silent as well.”
Until OWS can figure out a way to have someone actually able to represent them in negotiations and then subsequently able to enforce them, it is simply going to diminish their message. For instance, how will this protest come to a resolution if OWS doesn’t have a negotiating team? With whom should Wall Street and Washington discuss OWS’ demands? More importantly, the lack of leadership could lead to OWS being silenced by having protesters removed from Zuccotti Park because OWS was simply not able to agree to and enforce avery basic Good Neighbor Policy.
NOTE: Momof3 is heading to NYC today and hopes to check out the action after my wine work is done.
