Occupy Dallas

See also: List of Occupy movement protest locations

Occupy Dallas
Part of the "Occupy" protests
Protesters and police during Occupy Dallas
Date 6 October 2011 – present (&100000000000000000000000 years, &1000000000000004600000046 days) Location Dallas, Texas, United States Status Ongoing Causes Economic inequality, corporate influence over government, inter alia. Characteristics Demonstration, occupation, protest, street protesters
Casualties
Arrests: Injuries: 12 [1] 0

Occupy Dallas is a peaceful protest, demonstration and occupation that began on October 6, 2011 with a march to the Federal Reserve Building in Dallas, Texas.^[2][3] It is affiliated with the Occupy Wall Street movement that began in New York City, and also with the "Occupy" protests that have been springing up around the United States and around the world.^[4] A series of meetings that were titled "The General Assembly" or "GA" were held to plan the beginning of the event on October 6, 2011, and have been held on an ongoing basis to create a consensus on policies and planning for the occupation. Committees known as "working groups" have been formulated to utilize the expertise of volunteers who wish to assist in the event.^[5]

Background

Occupy Dallas Poster^[6]

Occupy Dallas's aims are to non-violently reclaim control of the government from the financial interests that have corrupted them, and demands that public servants recognize that the people are the supreme authority.^[7] The intent of Occupy Dallas, as with many of the other "Occupy" movements, has been to denounce the role that large corporations have in the American legislative system. The protesters in Dallas, as in other movements throughout the world, have described themselves as the "99 percent," a reflection of the belief that the financial system rewards the richest 1 percent at the expense of the majority of the population.

One of the aspects of the Occupy Dallas movement has been the continued cooperation with local police and the city government.^{[citation needed]} The organizers and occupiers have been cooperating with the police, and many protesters have expressed appreciation for the role that the Dallas Police Department has played during the occupation.^{[citation needed]}

On October 6, 2011, Occupy Dallas marched from Pike Park to the Dallas Federal Reserve Branch.^[8]

On October 11, SMU economics professor Ravi Batra wrote an article stating that the Occupy Wall Street movement heralds the end of "crony capitalism“.^[9] He argues that government policies since the Reagan Administration have greatly contributed to increase inequalities and economic problems in the U.S. and that the OWS movement should push for their repeal.^[10]

On October 15, 2011, over 350 people attended a solidarity march that was coordinated with all the other Occupy movements across the world.^[11]

To date,^[when?] roughly 150 protestors remain camped at City Hall Park.^[12] Originally camped at Pioneer Plaza, protestors agreed to move to City Hall Park as a settlement with the city of Dallas.^[13]

Late at night on November 17, the Dallas Police Department has raided the encampment of "Occupy Dallas" after several participants broke the city's rules for safer protest movements.^[14]

Stephen Benavides arrest

External videos
	"Stephen Pushed by a Cop", Nov 5

On November 5, protestors from Occupy Dallas assembled outside of a Dallas Bank of America. Dallas Police Officer Jimmy Hollis, working as a security guard at the time, alleged that protestor Stephen Benavides had assaulted him. Benavides was arrested, and charged with assaulting a public servant and resisting arrest.^[15] Benavides was held in the Dallas County Jail for four days, after which he was released on a $50,000 bond.

Subsequent video emerged, however, that appeared to contradict police claims. On the video, Officer Hollis is shown pushing a Benavides off of a 4-ft-tall planter, sending him tumbling down onto the pavement. ^[16]

See also

Occupy articles List of global Occupy protest locations Occupy movement Timeline of Occupy Wall Street We are the 99% Other Protests 15 October 2011 global protests 2011 United States public employee protests 2011 Wisconsin protests

Related articles Arab Spring Corruption Perceptions Index Economic inequality Grassroots movement Income inequality in the United States Lobbying Plutocracy Protest Tea Party protests Wealth inequality in the United States

• Social movements portal
• Politics portal
• Business and economics portal
• Society portal
• Dallas portal
• Texas portal
• United States portal

References

1. ^ Wilonsky, Robert (2011-05-17). "Occupy Dallas Protestors Arrested for Blocking Entrance to Chase Bank Branch Downtown - Dallas News - Unfair Park". Blogs.dallasobserver.com. http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2011/10/occupy_dallas_protestors_arres.php. Retrieved 2011-10-26. 
2. ^ "'Occupy Dallas'". Star Telegram. 6 October 2011. http://www.star-telegram.com/2011/10/06/3425755/occupy-dallas-protest.html. Retrieved 16 October 2011. 
3. ^ "'Occupy' Movement Comes to Dallas". NBC DFW. 13 October 2011. http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/politics/Protesters-Surround-Dallas-Federal-Reserve-Bank-131223449.html. Retrieved 16 October 2011. 
4. ^ "Dallas Yanks Occupy Dallas Agreement". MSNBC. 12 October 2011. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44864841/ns/local_news-dallas_fort_worth_tx/t/dallas-yanks-occupy-dallas-agreement/. Retrieved 16 October 2011. 
5. ^ "Occupy Dallas Volunteer Page". occupydallas.org. http://OccupyDallas.org/volunteer. Retrieved 2011-10-15. 
6. ^ Occupy Dallas Poster. Occupydallas.org. Accessed October 2011.
7. ^ "Occupy Dallas - Info". Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/OccupyDallas?sk=info. Retrieved 2011-10-15. 
8. ^ "'Occupy Dallas' brings national protest to DFW". Dallas Business Journal. 7 October 2011. http://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/news/2011/10/07/occupy-dallas-brings-national.html. Retrieved 16 October 2011. 
9. ^ Ravi Batra. ""The Occupy Wall Street Movement and the Coming Demise of Crony Capitalism," Truthout, October 11, 2011". http://www.truth-out.org/occupy-wall-street-movement-and-coming-demise-crony-capitalism/1318341474. Retrieved October 13, 2011. 
10. ^ Gylliwyn (October 16, 2011). "The People's Contract". http://occupywallst.org/forum/the-peoples-contract/. Retrieved October 26, 2011. 
11. ^ Occupy News, "Over 350 turn out for solidarity march", Occupy Dallas, retrieved 2011-10-21 from http://occupydallas.org/over-350-turn-out-solidarity-march
12. ^ "OccupyDallas GA votes 47-21 to move to City Hall Park". Occupy Dallas. 2011-10-14. http://occupydallas.org/occupydallas-ga-votes-47-21-move-city-hall-park. Retrieved 2011-10-20. 
13. ^ North Texas (2011-10-13). "KERA: City Offers New Location To Occupy Dallas (2011-10-13)". Publicbroadcasting.net. http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/kera/news.newsmain/article/0/0/1863480/North.Texas/City.Offers.New.Location.To.Occupy.Dallas. Retrieved 2011-10-20. 
14. ^ Dallas mayor addresses Occupy Dallas eviction - WFAA (released November 17, 2011)
15. ^ Carlos Miller - "Youtube Video Exposes Dallas Cop to be a Liar"
16. ^ NBC-DFW "Occupy" Video Sparks DPD Probe

External links

• Official website
• "Occupy" photographs from around the nation – from the Denver Post