Press Release: Flash mob descends on Rosa Parks Plaza

Flash mob descends on Rosa Parks Plaza

Dallas, TX, November 4, 2011 — More than a dozen OccupyDallas protesters took part in a flash mob Friday at Rosa Parks Plaza to protest the violence perpetrated against peaceful demonstrators around the world.

Around 2:15 p.m., protesters who covered their clothes in fake blood ‘dropped dead’ in the middle of the plaza. Meanwhile, a masked protester spoke to on-lookers about the thousands who have been killed overseas in violent attacks conducted by police and military.

      Since the beginning of their occupation, members of the OccupyDallas movement have employed a wide variety of protest tactics to spread their message. Rallied together in opposition to corporate greed and the influence of private money on politics, protesters continue to occupy City Hall Park and use the downtown location as a base for protests throughout the city. The protest today highlighted issues concerning the violence which has been carried out on peaceful civilian protesters in countries around the world. From Boston to Oakland, police have employed excessive force in breaking up protests. In countries around the world, police have responded violently to protesters. An estimated 30,000 protesters have been killed during the ‘Arab Spring’ revolutions. In Syria alone, an estimated 4,027 protesters have been killed since their movement began in late January. OccupyDallas plans to march Sunday in solidarity with Syrian protesters and will be meeting at 4 p.m. in Pioneer Plaza.

Occupy Dallas's Guidelines for Occupation

WFAA ran a piece last night about Child Protective Services taking an 11-month-old from the Occupy Dallas encampment behind Dallas City Hall yesterday; per Rebecca Lopez, investigators "already had an existing case." But between that and the news about a registered sex offender occupying one of the more than 60 tents downtown, Occupy Dallas early this morning posted to its website some ... well, not ground rules, not exactly. More like guidelines, suggestions for those doing the camp-out or considering moving to the great outdoors.

One thing of note: The group is asking all comers to register at the Welcome Tent. The reason:

read on

After a month, Occupy Dallas gets more organized

DALLAS - The Occupy Dallas movement is putting new guidelines into effect to become more organized.
The group has been staging protests for the last month around downtown Dallas.
In the coming days, organizers say they plan to put new programs into place.
The group plans on taking better accountability of its members, including registering them at a "Welcome Tent" and knowing where they're staying on the grounds.

read on

CPS Seizes Baby From ‘Occupy Dallas’ Site

DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - A homeless family living at the ‘Occupy Dallas’ camp said that they will find a new place to stay in order to keep their baby. CBS 11 News was on the scene as officers with the Dallas Police Department and Child Protective Services took custody of the 9-month-old boy on Thursday afternoon.
Brian and Cathy Carpich said that they met with CPS and were told that the camp was, in their words, an unhealthy living environment. The couple cannot get their boy, Zachariah, back until their living situation improves.

read on

North Texas Infant Removed From Occupy Dallas Camp KERA [audio]

DALLAS, TX (KERA) - State child welfare officials say they have taken a 9-month-old boy from his homeless parents at an Occupy Dallas camp. KERA's Bill Zeeble witnessed yesterday's event and has more.

On a sunny, cold late Thursday morning, a Dallas Police Crisis Intervention van pulled into a nearby parking lot next to the Occupy Dallas camp. Officers were seeking parents and their child who had reportedly been crying day and night.

The father told KERA and others the baby was well cared for and he had done nothing wrong. As temperatures threatened to drop near freezing, he said the tent even had a space heater.


read on