Occupy Long Beach Makes Tonight's Council Agenda

It may seem a fleeting novelty to some, but it was no small victory in democracy for Occupy Long Beach members to get on tonight's City Council agenda after what they say were weeks of calls, letters and speeches.

The group, which has no leadership at the national or local levels, is seeking a free speech zone in which to assemble and protest the domination of government and industry and wealth by the so-called 1% of the population (hence, the chant, "We. Are. The 99%.")

After what members said was the brush-off at the Nov. 8th City Council meeting, several stood up with signs and began chanting, at which point Vice Mayor Suja Lowenthal sumnoned Long Beach police officers present, and then conferred with City Attorney Bob Shannon. The elected leaders then adjourfned the Council meeting and upon reconvening, Council member Rae Gabelich promised to put their request on the next meeting agenda. It asks that the city staff report on what the group's options are for an assembly location and what other cities ahve done to accomodate--or not accomodate--Occupy groups.

Originally sparked locally by a handful of people including an academic who lives in Belmont Shore who calls himself "Sonny" Pencer, the local group started assembling at Bluff Park. The group then moved downtown to Lincoln Park near the Main Library and in view of Long Beach City Hall. From the time OLB started attempting to camp in tents there, Long Beach Police Departent has also been present, with lights and bullhorn when necessary to relocate demonstrators and prevent potential crowd problems, and ovrnight camping, which is against city rules.

Occupy Long Beach's most public speaker, Tammara Phillips, here rereading her first City Council address, and who can be watched addressing the City Council last week before the chanting erupted, explained in a first-person piece in today's Press Telegram how she came to demonstrations. The first began with Occupy Wall Street and, defying TV pundits and commentators, has endured. Phillips, who was first seen on video on Patch early in the group's evolvement, writes in the PT:

"I never intended to take up the mantle of a peaceful revolutionary, but honestly, what choice do I have? I've written and called my elected representatives about important issues. I've voted. I've spoken at local City Council meetings. I've given impassioned speeches. I've even blogged a time or two. The result? I, like many of my fellow citizens, have been patronized and ignored by my government....

"Disrupting the Long Beach City Council meeting, as we did on Nov. 8, wasn't OLB's initial strategy. We started out in early October following the rules and going through the established channels. Week after week, members of Occupy Long Beach appeared before the Long Beach City Council requesting cooperation in efforts to legally occupy a nearby park. Although council members have given verbal support for the movement and have directed us to work with city management, nearly every request we've made in meetings with city representatives has been denied, with no alternatives offered."