Posted on 10/31/2011 11:48:22 AM PDT by NYer
Soojee Eckhardt-Rigberg of Albany plays with her dog Obi near her tent (not shown) on snow remaining from the previous night's surprise snowstorm, at the Occupy Albany encampment in Academy Park on Sunday Oct. 30, 2011 in Albany, NY. She has been camped there since last Friday, the first day of the protest. (Philip Kamrass / Times Union )
ALBANY -- They have tents and propane space heaters, but demonstrators at Occupy Albany are considering more permanent shelter: either a walled canvas tent or a wooden yurt, complete with a stove.
"I think yesterday showed us it's going to get quite cold, and these tents are not going to survive in January and February," Michael Fiske, a 29-year-old Albany Law School student, said, gesturing to the encampment that has dotted Academy Park since Oct. 21.
He said he had researched tents as large as 16 feet by 20 feet, or yurts 16 feet in diameter. A yurt is a circular shelter first used by central Asian nomads that's usually arranged around a stove, traditionally made of bent wooden supports and covered with animal skins or fabric.
This would allow the encampment to have its nightly general assembly -- at which decisions are made by consensus of those present -- "in warmth and comfort," and would allow people to stay overnight near a heating source.
It also may test the patience of Albany city officials who have let protesters stay in the park provided their demonstration remains peaceful -- as it has. There is a city ordinance placing an 11 p.m. curfew on the park, but citing past instances of non-enforcement and an unwillingness of Albany County District Attorney P. David Soares to push trespassing charges against demonstrators, police have let the encampment be.
Other cities have been less tolerant. In New York City, officials have refused to let protesters pitch tents at Occupy Wall Street, which was the genesis of Occupy Albany and other movements, and confiscated electrical generators last week.
A more substantial tent or yurt might require some kind of building approval. A stove may constitute a safety hazard. Albany police spokesman James Miller said Sunday night he was unaware what regulations might apply. And he added: "We're not aware of any kind of request on their part to us on building any type of structure."
With good reason: It's better to ask forgiveness than permission, the protesters figure, and the city maintains plausible deniability if protesters never make a formal request. It's a very different calculation to tear down a structure, possibly by force, than to prevent it from being erected.
"We welcome dialogue, but we're not asking for permission," said Mark Mishler, an attorney aligned with the movement.
He and others confirmed the protesters would meet with Albany police and other city officials Tuesday, at the city's request. It's unclear what will be discussed. Fiske's stove proposal was tabled at Sunday evening's general assembly to be further developed by a new subcommittee.
Fiske estimated the cost at around $1,800, which would require group authorization. Currently, Occupy Albany is keeping its donations in cash at a secure location, but on Tuesday should open a bank account supervised by the Social Justice Center, according to Matthew Jager, 34, a member of the finance working group. He estimated they've raised between $2,000 to $3,000.
The focus on cold-weather logistics was obvious Sunday, after Occupy Albany dealt with 3 inches of snow that fell starting late Saturday evening. City officials placed electronic billboards warning people about to enter the park that winter weather advisories had been issued, according to Miller, and officers cautioned against setting up tents under tree limbs that could fall under the weight of the snow.
People took turns taking a broom and wiping the wet snow off the tops of the tents, and waking up those sleeping to make sure they hadn't passed out from hypothermia. Some estimated about 40 people stayed the night, up from about 25 the week before.
"All you have to do is bundle up and stay warm," said 23-year-old Schenectady resident Zach Ryan, who slept in a donated tent with his mom, Dyette Putnam.
I notice the media has been pointing out that these idiots are 99% white. /tard
Not only can you squat on public property, but apparently you can build. I wonder what the reaction would be if someone just started building a new XXX movie store in front of city hall?
I wonder of they would do the same for the Tea Party.
Thank God the mayor of Atlanta shagged all OWS squatters out of Woodruff Park last week. I think we are Occupy free at the moment.
Bump! ;-)
David Soares is there because of George Soros’s help.
“Maybe they could build housing for the homeless?”
My husband was telling me that the Occupy people didn’t like the homeless eating their food, so they served beans, so the homeless would go back to the soup kitchens. (I think it was NYC.) Guess the Occupy protesters don’t care about the poor as much as they claim.
It’s the Me generation.
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