Laurie Penny

Pop culture and radical politics with a feminist twist

On the streets with Bloomberg's "private army"

"Whose tweets? Our tweets!" Sometimes, only puns will do.

By Laurie Penny Published 13 December 2011 12:10

The Brookfield Winter Garden is the sort of aggressively bland corporate un-place where scuffles with the NYPD are not supposed to happen.

The financial district of New York is full of spaces like this: soulless private-public atriums full of force-grown unseasonal greenery, glistening 1980s marble and glaze-eyed commuters on their way to meetings. It's a place for "passive recreation" -- the stated function of Zucotti Park, also owned and run by Brookfield industries.

Absolutely nothing of emotional or political significance is ever supposed to happen here, ever. Right now, though, scores of members of the police force Mayor Bloomberg called his "private army" are arresting people seemingly at random just for looking like they might be working against the world's largest investment bank, rather than for it.

Just after eight in the morning, several hundred protesters from Occupy Wall Street had gathered in front of the headquarters of Goldman Sachs, banging drums, blearily slurping coffee and carrying a large, wobbly papier-mache squid. The latter was a reference to Rolling Stone journalist Matt Taibbi's iconic denotion of the bank as "a great vampire squid wrapped around the face of humanity, relentlessly jamming its blood funnel into anything that smells like money".

Some of the protesters also wore homemade cardboard squid hats. Yeah, take that, everyone who used to be skeptical about radical writers' ability to change the world using only the power of humorous metaphor.

Black bloc it wasn't. But this wasn't New York's day of action, not really. The demonstration was called in solidarity with the workers and occupiers attempting to block major ports along the West Coast of America, many of which happen to be controlled by subsidiaries of the Goldman group. Which also owns much of America's university system. And the shipping industry. And your mortgage. And your soul.

The fact that angry chanting and heavy policing have become routine features of life in the financial district is perhaps only appropriate in a country where four million families have been made homeless by a banking industry that was recently rewarded for trashing the economy with trillions of dollars of public money.

After a noisily peaceful march around the Goldman building, which entirely failed to collapse like the walls of Jericho, some of the protesters broke off to march through the World Financial Centre, adjoining the Winter Garden Plaza. Which is when the police freaked the hell out.

Red-eyed, astonished businesspersons held up their smartphones like protective talismans as emissaries of the 99 per cent danced around the ornamental ferns. Police poured in as someone dropped a West Coast Solidarity banner above the escalators. Protesters stood and shouted "everybody pays their tax, everyone but Goldman Sachs" -- well, close enough, the company paid only one per cent tax in 2008 -- just a little too long. On the turn of a penny, the arrests began.

By now we're used to hearing about protesters being arrested for taking part in peaceful actions, but this is the first time I've truly witness young people being grabbed at random just for standing near a demonstration with a phone or camera.

At least two of the 18 arrestees were journalists, including Radio Dispatch's John Knefel, and it is pure luck that the officer who shoved me through the atrium doors, shouting "your turn now", when he saw me tweeting, did not decide to arrest me too. As citizen journalists and members of the marching band sat in the back of the police van, a chant started: "Whose tweets? Our tweets!"

In the face of this sort of paranoid over-protection of a degenerate financial elite, you have to pun, because otherwise you might put your fist through a wall.

Funnily enough, last week, when hundreds of protesters and local campaigners really did take over a foreclosed property in East New York technically belonging to Bank of America, Bloomberg's army was almost nowhere to be seen.

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Tags: Occupy Wall Street Protest

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106 comments

Wed, 2011-12-14 17:09 — john woods (not verified)

To: barny

Actually, my pen*s is slightly above average length, thank you.

Tue, 2011-12-27 16:32 — Buckskins (not verified)

Hi Mr D. Merry Christmas. I think the girls should have given a couple of demos under the tree to insure they were working properly.

Cheers Mate.

Thu, 2011-12-22 17:15 — Buckskins (not verified)

No problem Steve, just get yourself right as you are doing.

Cheers, Mate.
Matt.

Tue, 2011-12-13 20:11 — Barny

'Actually, I'm a right wing redneck gun toting British Tory dimwit...'

...with a very small pen*s and a huge complex to go with it.

Tue, 2011-12-13 20:14 — Georgia (not verified)

Interesting enough update on things happening in New York.

It was written by a women, so of course somebody has to hijack it with cries of 'silly little girl' or 'bird' whilst sexually objectifying the writer. John, if you don't agree with her, by all means say so, that is the point of these comment sections, however, do not think that you sound tough or knowing by belittling and fetishising her simply because she is female.
It's cute how you find it so fascinating that somebody with a vagina can possibly type and post things, but all of the repulsive imaginations you have make you sound like a slavering creep, the sort of guy parents don't want their kids to talk to at the family reunion.

Pretend she's a man, then write why you don't like her post, don't you dare think you're a big guy for spewing some out-of-date, perverse sexual imaginings of yours with the aim of devaluing her (and presumably anybody female who disagrees with her) simply because of her gender.

Essay over.
Keep writing Penny, a lot of us enjoy your work.

Tue, 2011-12-13 20:16 — Georgia (not verified)

*anybody female who disagrees with you (not 'her', typo)

Mon, 2012-03-05 08:42 — Taggart

None of you have answered the question: why are you sticking up for the banks? If you don't like the protests, why don't you organize better ones? Take a bit of, known, personal responsibility. Why must govt either be nanny states or helplessly tiny? It's a false dichotomy. There will always be big government, it's just a question of whether it's democratic or not. The financial blagistocracy is not democrat. http://www.chancermusic.com/

Tue, 2011-12-13 20:41 — Astrid Proll (not verified)

John says: "But you want this idealized version of it that only exists in the movies. You want this loving, warm-hug-giving government that will do everything for you and take care of you from birth until death....Yet you routinely ignore the idiocy of your logic and the direction which big government will also go."

What's your definition of logic? That one must use the absolute worst-case scenario to define what government is, and will necessarily (by your "logic") do to its citizens? That's not logic -- or, if it is, it's little more than a logical tautology. Your conclusion is built into your premise: that big government will employ violence against its citizens, using its police force to wield that violence, because that's what government *is*. That there are examples all throughout history to the contrary probably means nothing to do.

Your statement is the logical equivalent of pointing to airline crashes and concluding that the purpose of airplanes is to crash, and the function of pilots is to assist in that effort.

Government can be held to ethical standards, do a reasonably decent job of maintaining order and the common good, without lapsing into battering its citizens every time they attempt to influence it.

Tue, 2011-12-13 21:04 — Mr. Divine (not verified)

@Steven: You've got a nerve calling Laurie Laura. If you are inclined to take piss again in this manner then please refrain yourself. You may also want to work on your syntax because it is so jumbled up then it is very difficult to understand what it means.

THIS is not a personal attack so please don't see it as thus ... rather it is advise from an expert in linguistics and a long time comment blogger on this said blog comment page.

Tue, 2011-12-20 02:42 — Mr. Divine (not verified)

stuart; Why do you still persist with this act of yours? I've already proved that no flats were burnt in Hackney and yet you insist that they were and yours was one of them. Why should people treat you with sympathy if it is proven that they have lied to you... like you have done. People can't believe a word you have to say. Time to piss off for good.

Tue, 2011-12-20 02:45 — Mr. Divine (not verified)

fairplay: Every place I lived in during my childhood had a L in front of the post code. The L stood for Liverpool. A scouser is someone from Liverpool. I'm a scouser.. it's that simple dickhead. Where are you from? Definitely not from up North.

Tue, 2011-12-20 02:52 — Mr. Divine (not verified)

Buckskins: You say you want to be my friend. Why? So that you can stab me in the back when someone with lots of posh words comes knocking? That's what you did to stuart. That's a friend I can do without.

Buckskins, you aint from Texas. You're too weak livered. Texans are strong guys who don't back down when their friend is under attack. Why don't you put up a few pictures of your 'ranch' on the net in a blog? Like I put some pictures of my acres. Why not? Because you're a phony. Get out of your parents' back room go down to the newsagents and buy a lollipop you little weasel.

Tue, 2011-12-20 02:57 — Mr. Divine (not verified)

@Stuart Eels: I think you'll find that Laurie's writes some very thought provoking stuff. If you don't like it why do you bother commenting on her blog? it's a bit much you talking the piss out of her especially when she can really write. I'm still very attracted to her both as a writer and as a woman. i don't think you should come back here unless you show her proper respect.

Tue, 2011-12-20 03:03 — stuart (not verified)

its not fair they way i am being treated in here,,what have i done to everybody,,do you want me to go in exile mr divine,,what has become of you people..its christmas and supposed to be goodwill to all men and women,,what the hell is happening in here,,its depressing me..i thought i had freinds,,i hope laurie is still my freind

Tue, 2011-12-20 05:18 — Mr. Divine (not verified)

Yea stuart i want you to piss off and don't come back.

Tue, 2011-12-20 05:33 — Mr. Divine (not verified)

Take yer brownie uniform as well. And it's not Christmas .. it's the 20th today not the 25th. All the lies coming out of your mouth really pisses me off. Away with you, you liar. Go to St Helena and stay with Napoleon .. he likes men dressing up in little girl's outfits.

Fri, 2011-12-23 04:07 — stuart (not verified)

i am very concerned about your health mr divine..are you ok..hi buckskins,,how are you and can i wish you steve and stuart Eels and buckskins a happy christmas and laurie as well...my new statesman freinds

Fri, 2011-12-23 04:45 — Mr. Divine (not verified)

Thanks for your concern stuart. I'm surviving. Managed to get some sleeping tablets that work and that has made the difference. Merry Christmas to you .. get stuck into the gravy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoJxigEuVC4&feature=related

Fri, 2011-12-16 09:18 — fqwasdfasdf (not verified)

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jordan air max oakland raiders $34–39;
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Tue, 2011-12-13 22:11 — Aintree Iron (not verified)

Divine, you're a limp cabbage. Look at the crap you've wrote. You need an iron rod stuck through one hole and out of another. At the moment you sound like one of those airy fairy gob shites from academia land.

Tue, 2011-12-13 22:21 — Concerned Mental Worker (not verified)

Go easy on Mr. Divine. He is clearly suffering from post-psychotic stress and lack of sleep.

Tue, 2011-12-13 22:30 — Buckskins (not verified)

John, if you have nothing of substance to say, just go ahead and conjure up some nonsense. BTW, she has a job and she is very good at it. It's what the pinkos want to hear. A personal attack is not a valid substitution for substance.

Tue, 2011-12-20 11:52 — Jodee (not verified)

Go on, Laurie, your doing great! ;)

Tue, 2011-12-13 22:55 — Aintree Iron (not verified)

Bullshite Mental Worker, all Divine is doing is trying to impress with long words. He doesn't know that he's competing with a trained windbag artist from the windbag capital of the world, Oxford Uni. This mob have been trained in the art of wind-bagging since Eton and fuckin Winchester etc and then they finish off with more wind bagging at their little exclusive windbag university. Once they've finished there the windbag gates of Parliament and Media open up for them to get lots of pennies from wind-bagging. Divine can't just break into this world because he aint got the wind bag experience and talent of someone like Laurie Penny. Besides posh chicks from the windbag South don't go for Northerners like ourselves. They might like a bit of rough now and then but long term girlfriend ...nay .. in your dreams Divine.

Tue, 2011-12-13 23:04 — Steven (not verified)

@ Mr Divine, Yer my Philosophy lecturer has said my syntax isn’t very good but he likes what I have to write. I told him I was bought up in Thatchers decade where eduction standards were lowered. He laughed.

What is your take on Penny’s article anyway?

Sat, 2011-12-17 10:44 — You (not verified)

need to write to me email. The confusion of cryptic crossword creates unease. Lets do some straight talking discretely. I think you're ready for that. I know I am. It'll save time .. and come as yourself, your first name. Of course its up to you but this is confusing for me as well. It needs sorting properly.
S
The email address is on the other thread.

Tue, 2011-12-20 14:08 — Stuart Eels (not verified)

Mr Divine, Calm down, I must have agreed with her at least six of her posts this year. I comment on her blog when I see her spouting off a lot of hot air or downright untruths as in the case of Stokes Croft and Bristol burning down or when she was rude about our war dead last year, I see that she's learned to be more respectful to them this year.

When I agree with her I'm quite happy to say so even if I'm proved wrong afterward.

little stuart, why don't you just be yourself? I remember you making some valid comments a long time ago, you don't have to be the centre of attention you know. You don't have to pretend to gain street cred on here, there is none we are all hopeless cases!

Tue, 2011-12-13 23:17 — Joe Simpson (not verified)

John woods - your comment is disgusting. you're making no attempt to engage with the issues in this article. you're so threatened by the idea of an eloquent intelligent female journalist that you have to respond with a pathetically 'macho' comment trying to belittle her.
John - if laurie penny sees the police as a force of nature that no one controls, then you are making the same assumptions about 'big government'. asking for a real democracy, in which the government is controlled by and accountable to the people is not the same as asking for the government to take over everything. i reject a choice between unaccountable banks and an unaccountable government and if you believe that people should have control over their own lives then you should too.

Tue, 2011-12-13 23:25 — Mr. Divine (not verified)

Steven, I haven't read the article as I only come on here to write comments and hope that one day, like it could be today, that laurie appears in red and says hello I love you wont you tell me your name ... i realice that this may be nigh on impossible but one can only dream then if the dream come true I would be very much happier than what I am now or could be later. I do need some sleep though.

Tue, 2011-12-20 14:29 — Mr. Divine (not verified)

Sorry about that Stuart.. I haven't been well. I hope you accept my apologises froma cyber friend.

Little stuart come back from the south Atlantic and be yourself like stuart says. you're good fun.

Buckskins: I'll be your friend.

Tue, 2011-12-13 23:27 — Aintree Iron (not verified)

Maybe you're right Concerned Mental Worker.

Wed, 2011-12-28 15:14 — andyg (not verified)

Mr Divine, I see that you didn't forecast a little shower or two.
Oh dear how the memories flood back. I do hope that your not choking on the tea. Kiss, kiss. Oh looks like you've found some male friends at long last. Write later mr small.

Tue, 2011-12-13 23:30 — sillypseudonym (not verified)

John
Don't call her a bird. And don't project your sadistic fantasies onto her. Own them baby x

Sat, 2011-12-24 03:10 — stuart (not verified)

thanks steve for your fine words and happy christmas to you..my christmas will be sad this year..girlfreind dumped me..family wont talk to me or invite me for christmas dinner because of my alcohol problems..looks like its just me and my bottle of brandy for company on christmas day,,

Sat, 2011-12-24 03:24 — stuart (not verified)

steve,,i use a website called manmot.com in the uk open from 9am till 5pm gmt..its a good website where male doctors are online to men who dont like visting doctors as a rule and will give free advice live to men who would rather have a second opinion when it comes to male heatlh..to many men die young because of ignorance and fear of there own health,,visit manmot.com and dispel ypur fears..hope i am not being sexist..

Wed, 2011-12-14 20:18 — Mr. Divine (not verified)

The members of the Third Kingdom should be looking to invest their money for maximum return.

After their own small business ventures they should put their savings into Chinese infrastructure stocks such as Jiangsu Expressway (0177) listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange. These stocks (ports and roads) pay great dividends and are in effect monopolies. Companies that make things need to transport their products overseas via road and port. Also more people will be able to buy cars in China and this will add to the companies' revenues.

Civil unrest in China will occur but the party machinery and the army is far too large. In fact there are has been pockets of civil 'unrest' for the last two decades in the country. However, the vast majority of people are intent in getting rich quick. They have hats that say, 'Rich Me Quick'.

Sat, 2011-12-24 06:19 — Mr. Divine (not verified)

Sorry to hear of your woes with your girlfriend. Haven't you got any family to visit on Christmas Day? We're off to a friend's place and having a little party with some others. It's gonna be hot.

I haven't touched the booze for ages .. 6/7 weeks. Smoked a few cigars though to calm my nerves. Brandy eh. Never been into brandy .. vodka, port, red wine. Oh those were the days. Got to be careful at this stage of the proceedings.

Will visit the website. But now I'm through a rough no-sleep stage and despite the occasional aggressive feeling going along nicely.

Look after yourself stuart. Please think of ME when you have your first sip of brandy, and I'll think of YOU when I have my first cup of vanilla flavoured tea. Kiss the vessels of our liquid love.

Sat, 2011-12-24 06:27 — Mr. Divine (not verified)

And what post at this time of the year wouldn't be complete without a youtube link of a band from Australi? Keep going, cos it's a long way to the top.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1iR2Wi3u5o

Wed, 2011-12-14 20:32 — Hugh Markey (not verified)

Just imagine - one and a half-billion rich Chinese. Two cars, at least, two houses, two luxury cruisers, why go on. Plenty of coolie jobs for Westerners, au pairs and domestics.
This development will certainly reverse migration patterns.
And let's not be too restrictive on choice of a mate. The Gay Community must have something to say on this matter.
And size isn't everything. Look at the Chinese!

Sat, 2011-12-24 13:40 — Dickie1

@ Stuart,

Care to join me in a turkey and stuffing flavoured pot noodle?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/oct/24/christmas-pot-noodle

How wonderful capitalism is that it meets all the needs of people with its innovation and generosity.

Wed, 2011-12-14 01:56 — Dickie1

Is it even possible to give up?

Wed, 2011-12-14 21:10 — Mr. Divine (not verified)

LOL.

Size doesn't matter. Really?

That's not what I've heard from members of the opposite sex Hugh Grant. They're probably just being nice to you.

PS I've got some tapes to prove it.

Tue, 2011-12-13 13:17 — Spud Middleton (not verified)

"Yeah, take that, everyone who used to be skeptical about radical writers' ability to ????? the world using only the power of humorous metaphor."

I think you've ommitted something. Can't decide if it's 'change', 'fuck-up', 'bore' or 'totally piss off'.

And what do you think radical mreans...and why do you think you're it? And who are these other 'radical' writers?

Wed, 2011-12-14 02:30 — Mr. Divine (not verified)

@Steven: sorry about the previous post .. I was really tired.

I have shares in the Goldman Group so I am a part owner of the company. The biggest shareholders in the world are workers' pension funds. This is a form of Socialism because the workers are increasingly owning the means of production through their pension funds and other saving devices.

The people who are protesting are against how Socialism is evolving. Workers are increasingly becoming the owners of capital through share ownership.

Tue, 2011-12-13 13:22 — Spud Middleton (not verified)

"As citizen journalists..."

And what the fuck's a citizen journalist? Does posting here make me a member of the citizen commentariat btw?

And other than: "Our intrepid reporter only just mananged to escape by the skin of her teeth." What's the story here? Other than business as usual?

Wed, 2011-12-14 05:09 — Mr. Divine (not verified)

Socialism is the highest stage of Capitalism. No wonder why some people are confused: they haven't thought it through.

Socialism: Workers will have a share of industry. Each according to their ability. How do we measure ability? By what other people are prepared to pay for each person's labour.

Wed, 2011-12-14 05:26 — Kathy (not verified)

Required reading:

Sinclair Lewis's "It Can't Happen Here"

Wed, 2011-12-14 05:31 — Mr. Divine (not verified)

The protestors are fighting the tide of history. They are ants facing the tsunami of economic reality. They think they are heroes but in fact they are confused and bedazzled by words in academic books and an irritation that just because they are here now they don't have the same possessions that others have.

'Oh woe is me they cry. It is not fair' they cry.
What's fair? How do you work it out? This is it where you stand at this moment of time.

Do you make any difference yelling at skyscrapers? Do you hell. Did the huge anti-globalisation protests revert globalisation? Did it hell.

The US will be swarmed from the South and all the 'non-skilled' will find their butts tanned by the holes in their pants. Europe will be swept by hoards from Asia and Africa as the prospect of a better wage will drive their body and minds into unskilled jobs. Social unrest will come as the indigenous unskilled workforces rebel against the lowering of wages. Britain has a chance because it is an island but it needs to stop immigration. The character and unity of the country is dying under the false flag of universal 'humanity'.

The countries that will lead the way are Australia and Japan. These are island nations with very difficult access and strict immigration. Australia has a small population and huge resource reserves. As Asia demand their DVDs, computers, and nose picking tools Australia will supply the raw materials. The people of this land are already very rich but in the future they will all be in the top 0.1%. What better place to bring up your children?

Tue, 2011-12-13 13:13 — Pollik

The way the police are being used is truly frightening. We expect to hear about it from countries in the east...and now we expect to hear about from the countries in the west.

The USA no longer has claim to be the land of the free or a land of genuine democracy.

Dirty tricks abound.

Wed, 2011-12-14 05:55 — Drakula

I am in full support of Penny's article; the whole point of the protest and the above article is to question why Goldman Sachs is paying only 1% tax when other people on much smaller income brackets are paying 0.49 cents to the dollar!!!!

THAT IS THE ESSENCE OF THE ISSUE.

Of course I don't think the protesters have gone far enough the Goldman Sachs building should be completely demolished and it's inhabitants should be behind bars.

I would like to see the OWS movement backed up by nationwide strikes to have these institutions either dissolved or nationalized!!!!!