Portents of things to come? The Occupy movement seems to be getting a small slice of credibility!

OWS Sympathizers to Protest Outside Mayor Bloomberg’s House…For the Journalists

New York Observer, The (NY) - Friday, January 6, 2012

Author: Drew Grant

Since the holiday season, the Occupy Wall Street movement has seen a drop in media coverage. Some of this may be attributed to the dissemination of the movement after the Zuccotti Park raid last November, while another factor has to do with the fact that reporters covering the protests tend to get treated by the NYPD as part of the demonstration…even if they’re carrying city-accredited press badges.

Today, members of OWS (but not OWS itself, since, as a member of the press team told The New York Observer by phone, the still-existing General Assembly did not pass this motion), citizen journalists, and anyone else who isn’t afraid of getting arrested will be protesting outside of Mayor Bloomberg’s house for the ethical treatment of the press.

Full memo below:

New Yorkers and members of Occupy Wall Street to protest Bloomberg/NYPD attacks on First Amendment rights of journalists.

Street action at billionaire mayor’s mansion – photographers, videographers, livestreamers will bring NYPD misconduct to public attention.

New York, NY—Outraged New Yorkers and Occupy Wall Street (OWS) members will protest ongoing NYPD interference with members of the press including citizen journalists on Friday, January 6. In recent months NYPD has refused to recognize press credentials, summarily seized press credentials, harassed, physically blocked, assaulted, and arrested–without cause–members of the press.

WHAT: Vibrant and visual protest including street performers. Many photographers, videographers, and livestreamers will participate and film.

WHEN: Friday, January 6, 3pm-8pm

WHERE: Bloomberg mansion, 17 East 79th St., NYC - assemble at 5th Ave. and 79th St. Protesters will vigorously assert their first Amendment rights to be within sight and sound of the mayor’s residence.

WHO: Outraged New Yorkers, members of OWS, journalists and media makers who have been subjected to harassment and arrest for covering Occupy Wall Street and other political protests.

The protest will bring this issue to the doorstep of New York City’s billionaire mayor Michael Bloomberg. In recent remarks Bloomberg called the NYPD his “own army.” The mayor, a member of the wealthiest 1% of the country, ordered the forcible removal of Occupy Wall Street from Liberty Square on November 15th. The working press was prevented from covering that police raid – either ejected from the site or prevented from being close enough to do comprehensive reporting. This week a group streaming live video of Occupy Wall Street activities was forcibly evicted from a space in Brooklyn and arrested.

Attacks on the press have gotten so numerous and severe that several journalist organizations have formed the Coalition for the First Amendment. More information and many links to news coverage are on the New York Press Club website: http://www.nypressclub.org/coalition.php . Also see

http://storify.com/jcstearns/tracking-journalist-arrests-during-the-occupy-prot for OWS-related arrests of journalists around the country.

To date the Mayor and Police Commissioner Ray Kelly have failed to stop these attacks or ensure a thorough and untainted investigation.

The working press is essential for holding government and other institutions accountable. No democracy is safe without a free press. NYPD’s shameful behavior against journalists by some rank and file officers and commanders has been going on for years. Letters of protest by journalist organizations have been ignored by police. Attacks on members of the media continue to flourish under the mayor and his police commissioner despite their promises to the contrary.

So…several questions. Will Mayor Bloomberg be home at 3 p.m. on a Friday? Will that fake press secretary be there? And can OW-sympathizers convince journalists that they’re protests are still worth covering if they make said protests about journalists?

Unfortunately, The New York Observer won’t be able to attend due to conflicting schedule appointments, but we’d love to hear how it goes down! Photos and video welcome for submission.

Drew Grant is a Staff Reporter for The New York Observer. Follow Drew on Twitter or via RSS. dgrant@observer.com