The Occupy Boston movement brought protesters to multiple sides of the North End / Waterfront area today. Police made a stand at the base of the Charlestown Bridge at the intersection of N. Washington, Causeway and Commercial Streets. Protesters tried to march onto the Charlestown Bridge before rush hour on Monday, October 10th. With support from MassUniting and Right to the City, the effort by protesters was to place large signs on the bridge highlighting its structural deficiency. Ironically, Boston Police were concerned the bridge would not be able to handle the protest.
Boston Police blocked the protesters from getting onto the bridge, causing a standoff at the Keaney Square intersection. Traffic was snarled, but could have been worse as the march happened after the Bruins game let out of TD Garden. (View video at The Boston Channel website. Ed: My favorite sign in the video is “Fix this Bridge.”)
Earlier in the day, there was a short protest on Cross Street plaza in front of the Citizen’s Bank building near Hanover Street. The protest remains based in Dewey Square with protesters marching from Boston Common to the Financial District, down Surface Road and Atlantic Ave. along the Greenway. (Photos courtesy of Bill Lane.)
The situation could escalate tonight as the Occupy Boston website is warning that Boston Police may try to dismantle their tent camp on the Greenway at Dewey Square. The tents expanded over the weekend to include a new parcel they are calling the “North Camp.” This area recently underwent a $150,000 renovation with new plantings through a contribution from Boston Properties that owns the abutting Atlantic Wharf complex. Boston Police communicated with protesters through Twitter telling Occupy Boston to leave the second site. Occupy Boston says they have been given a midnight deadline or Boston Police are threatening to dismantle it by force. The Occupy Boston response is shown below:
“Police are gathering in mass to remove Occupy Boston campers from the North Camp expansion and possibly from the Main Camp tonight at midnight, by force if necessary. We are calling for all able-bodied volunteers to come lock arms with us in solidarity and defend this Occupation from any police presence that may arrive.” Read the full post at OccupyBoston.com.
Last week, the Greenway Conservancy leadership was supportive of Occupy Boston, although that was before the expansion to park space north of Dewey Square.
A livestream has been set up to view developments at the second Greenway encampment. Watch it here.
