Eviction Notice!

At 10 a.m. today, the Mayor of Portland announced that he is shutting down the Occupation as of 12:01 a.m. Sunday the 13th for reasons of "public safety." His language was supportive of the ideals of Occupy, but he has decided that safety demands shutting down the occupation. He's willing to bring major police presence to bear at the announced moment.

Currently, more than 300 people are living in the occupied parks, and roughly another 500 are using offices/tents in the parks as gathering and working spaces.

Constant discussions began immediately after the announcement, with many meetings and conversations about the way forward. What is clear is that the movement is much larger than the two parks that are currently occupied; some people feel that visibility is crucial and that there must be an ongoing occupation of public outdoor space in order to demand the people's constitutional right to assemble to create change. Some people will dig in, refuse to go, and be arrested if necessary. Some people want to scatter to other public spaces. Some are willing to demonstrate on the sidewalks around the two parks currently occupied. Almost everyone has begun packing at least some of their belongings. Feelings are running high, conversations are intense. But a way of communicating in large groups, with finger and hand signals, with respect for facilitators, and with respect for a diversity of opinions, is working. A whole new language of gesture and communicating has arisen over the past month, and despite the large and disparate group of people who have opinions, communication is happening: with respect, with consideration for a process. This, in the words of many, is AWESOME.

I'm writing this from a tent in one of the parks, and I'm leaving in a few moments to attend a General Assembly where more strategy will be worked out. These are interesting times.

Update: the meetings are going on into the night. I have never in my life seen such enthusiastic civic participation. Hundreds of people are sitting in the cold, listening to each other put forth ideas, patiently waiting their turn to speak, weighing and examining nuance: what should we do between now and the eviction? what should we do after the eviction, if it comes? how should we be focusing our time and energy now? I replaced the daytime meeting picture with a night time meeting picture. These conversations will probably go on till dawn, despite the aching cold.