Occupy Poughkeepsie eviction fosters solidarity

On the first of this month, the City of Poughkeepsie finally and explicitly showed its support for the one percent. In an order of the city administrator delivered to the occupiers, it was made known that "Hulme Park shall be closed between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m....and all persons are to be prohibited to be on park property between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m." Clauses banning tents and fire pits followed the notification of this ordinance. Given the wave of evictions that have been occurring at Occupy camps from Liberty Square née Zuccotti Park to the camp in LA, it seemed that Poughkeepsie would soon be just another camp taken apart by brute force, without even the benefit of a major news outlet to watch its destruction.

However, for the time being, community solidarity won out over heavy-handed measures. On the night the notice was served to the Occupy camp, over 100 people came out to support the camp and the Occupy movement in general, with chanting and cheer going on in the park and directly around it the whole evening; many stayed until 1 or 2 in the morning, with the others sleeping out in the park overnight as usual. The following day, the police came and gave a one-hour time frame for people to leave the park; however, more people scrambled back to the park, and given some time constraints and (unfortunately) crime in the city, the police were too preoccupied to deal with an occupying group. Even now, it seems unlikely that the police are going to evict the camp anytime soon; fear of bad press and reactions are preventing them from doing much beyond stopping the use of coal fires at the park.

Still, for the Occupy movement here, this is a sobering moment. Despite these victories, it is only a matter of time before they are going to have to leave the park and re-conceive themselves, either in terms of space occupied or in terms of larger structures within the movement. These conversations are already taking place; however, there is still time for you to join. The Occupy movement is constantly doing outreach (even going as far as to meet here with various members of the Vassar community to talk about strategy) and is looking to broaden their support base as well as the forms of direct action they partake in. Students, now more than ever, are invited to come down to the park while it is still there and contribute whatever they can to the cause, if they so desire. Even if you do not have the time to go to every general assembly at the park and attend the meetings for various working groups, the 99 percent of Poughkeepsie would still like to know what issues affect you, and what Occupy Poughkeepsie can do in the meantime to find solutions to those issues. Occupy Poughkeepsie will also continue to attend Vassar events, as they have in the past with the Cornel West lecture and the Occupy Wall Street teach-in, as well as other community events, and lend their voice there as well. Together, we can help end the injustices of the community and build a better America, regardless of whether a few tents are in Hulme Park of not.

—Tim McCormick '12 is a political science major. He is president of Democracy Matters.