Occupy Melbourne
Encyclopedia
Occupy Melbourne is a social movement
currently taking place as part of the global Occupy movement
s, in Melbourne, Australia. The occupation began on October 15 in City Square
and has since moved to four other sites, currently occupying the Gordon Reserve Triangle. Common issues uniting the movement include economic inequality
, social injustice
, corruption in the financial sector, corporate greed and the influence of companies and lobbyists
on government.
Since October 15, dozens of marches, rallies, demonstrations and pickets have taken place. An estimated 30,000 people have gone through the various occupied sites, the biggest march attracting 4,000 people. Melbourne's largest General Assembly was attended by over 2,000 people. At peak in City Square over 150 people were sleeping overnight. The occupation reached it's 40th day on November 23.
Despite repeated attempts by the City of Melbourne, with the assistance of Victoria Police, to remove essential items like shelter, bedding and equipment, Occupy Melbourne continues to occupy public space as of late November 2011.
and Occupy Melbourne Media team member Nick Carson, the Lord Mayor expressed the desire for a peaceful end to the protest, but that authorties would use force if necessary. Police were asked to evict protesters from the Square.
On 21 October, over 100 police, some dressed in riot gear, forceably removed protesters from Melbourne City Square. Some saw this as an overreaction and police denied they had used excessive force.
Adam Bandt
, the Member of the Australian Parliament
for Melbourne
, criticized the decision to remove protestors saying "Premier Ted Baillieu
and Lord Mayor Robert Doyle
have made a huge blunder by sending in the police, turning a week-long non-violent protest into a site of confrontation." 95 people were arrested and 1 was taken to hospital for treatment.
Victorian Premier Ted Baillieu
praised police for the way they broke up the Occupy Melbourne protest on Friday and said protesters had broken their promise to leave peacefully. Protestors called for a full inquiry into unlawful police behaviour and violence associated with their eviction of participants of the Occupy Melbourne protest.
Robert Doyle defended his decision to evict the Occupy Melbourne protesters, stating that they were "a self-righteous, narcissistic, self-indulgent rabble tried to capture the city" and that a "hard core of serial and professional protesters" were involved.
Federal Treasurer Wayne Swan
said the Occupy demonstrations in Australia and around the world have intensified debate about social and economic inequality in societies across the globe. However, Mr Swan said while the protests don't have a concrete set of aims or demands, those in Sydney and Melbourne should not have resulted in violence.
Robert Doyle later commented "We don't intend to allow people to set up tents anywhere in the city. We have adopted a zero-tolerance policy."
During the first night at the State Library, a group of 60-80 had initially been occupying the State Library entry portico, but moved to the lawn following threats from Victoria Police. 15-20 people were removed from the State Library lawn in the early hours of the morning, no arrests were made. These people immediately moved back onto the lawn, where they slept that night without tents or structures.
On November 12, a decision was passed supporting the autonomy of individuals to set up their own tents and marquees following the erection of a First Nations Embassy at the occupation.
On November 16, 160 police were called in by City of Melbourne officers to remove the First Nations Embassy. Occupiers peacefully defended the embassy, 3 people were arrested, 3 were charged with obstructing a council officer.
On November 18, 70 police were called in by City of Melbourne officers to remove the community sleeping tarpaulin. Occupiers peacefully defended the tarpaulin. 8 people were arrested.
On November 23, a contingent of police were called in by City of Melbourne officers to remove the First Aid Facilities, there were no arrests.
On November 25, a contingent of Victoria Police were called in by City of Melbourne officers to remove bedding and tarpaulins, 2 arrests were made and 5 reports of assult on peaceful protesters, no less than an hour before the commencement of the Walk Against Family Violence.
Social movement
Social movements are a type of group action. They are large informal groupings of individuals or organizations focused on specific political or social issues, in other words, on carrying out, resisting or undoing a social change....
currently taking place as part of the global Occupy movement
Occupy movement
The Occupy movement is an international protest movement which is primarily directed against economic and social inequality. The first Occupy protest to be widely covered was Occupy Wall Street in New York City, taking place on September 17, 2011...
s, in Melbourne, Australia. The occupation began on October 15 in City Square
City Square, Melbourne
The City Square is a pedestrian plaza and former civic centre located in the Central Business District of Melbourne, Australia. The square is currently bounded by Swanston Street, Collins Street, Flinders Lane and the Westin Hotel. Melbourne Town Hall and St Paul’s Cathedral are prominent...
and has since moved to four other sites, currently occupying the Gordon Reserve Triangle. Common issues uniting the movement include economic inequality
Economic inequality
Economic inequality comprises all disparities in the distribution of economic assets and income. The term typically refers to inequality among individuals and groups within a society, but can also refer to inequality among countries. The issue of economic inequality is related to the ideas of...
, social injustice
Social injustice
Social injustice is a concept relating to the claimed unfairness or injustice of a society in its divisions of rewards and burdens and other incidental inequalities...
, corruption in the financial sector, corporate greed and the influence of companies and lobbyists
Lobbying
Lobbying is the act of attempting to influence decisions made by officials in the government, most often legislators or members of regulatory agencies. Lobbying is done by various people or groups, from private-sector individuals or corporations, fellow legislators or government officials, or...
on government.
Since October 15, dozens of marches, rallies, demonstrations and pickets have taken place. An estimated 30,000 people have gone through the various occupied sites, the biggest march attracting 4,000 people. Melbourne's largest General Assembly was attended by over 2,000 people. At peak in City Square over 150 people were sleeping overnight. The occupation reached it's 40th day on November 23.
Despite repeated attempts by the City of Melbourne, with the assistance of Victoria Police, to remove essential items like shelter, bedding and equipment, Occupy Melbourne continues to occupy public space as of late November 2011.
History
Timeline:- Day 1-7 – City Square occupation and General Assemblies
- Day 8-15: Offsite working group meetings and regroup following City Square eviction
- Day 15-18: State Library occupation and General Assemblies
- Day 19-45: Treasury Gardens occupation and City Square General Assemblies
- Day 45-present: Triangle occupation
Day 1-7: City Square occupation
On 19 October, during a radio interview between City of Melbourne Lord Mayor Robert DoyleRobert Doyle
Robert Keith Bennett Doyle is an Australian politician and the 103rd Lord Mayor of Melbourne, elected on 30 November 2008...
and Occupy Melbourne Media team member Nick Carson, the Lord Mayor expressed the desire for a peaceful end to the protest, but that authorties would use force if necessary. Police were asked to evict protesters from the Square.
- 1st Eviction:
On 21 October, over 100 police, some dressed in riot gear, forceably removed protesters from Melbourne City Square. Some saw this as an overreaction and police denied they had used excessive force.
Adam Bandt
Adam Bandt
Adam Paul Bandt is an Australian politician and former industrial lawyer. Bandt was elected to the Australian House of Representatives in the 2010 Australian federal election for the Division of Melbourne...
, the Member of the Australian Parliament
Australian House of Representatives
The House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia; it is the lower house; the upper house is the Senate. Members of Parliament serve for terms of approximately three years....
for Melbourne
Division of Melbourne
The Division of Melbourne is an Australian Electoral Division of Victoria. It is represented by Adam Bandt of the Australian Greens.Created at Federation in 1900 the division was one of the original 75 divisions contested at the first federal election...
, criticized the decision to remove protestors saying "Premier Ted Baillieu
Ted Baillieu
Edward Norman "Ted" Baillieu MLA is an Australian politician. He is currently the Premier of Victoria and the member for the Legislative Assembly seat of Hawthorn...
and Lord Mayor Robert Doyle
Robert Doyle
Robert Keith Bennett Doyle is an Australian politician and the 103rd Lord Mayor of Melbourne, elected on 30 November 2008...
have made a huge blunder by sending in the police, turning a week-long non-violent protest into a site of confrontation." 95 people were arrested and 1 was taken to hospital for treatment.
Victorian Premier Ted Baillieu
Ted Baillieu
Edward Norman "Ted" Baillieu MLA is an Australian politician. He is currently the Premier of Victoria and the member for the Legislative Assembly seat of Hawthorn...
praised police for the way they broke up the Occupy Melbourne protest on Friday and said protesters had broken their promise to leave peacefully. Protestors called for a full inquiry into unlawful police behaviour and violence associated with their eviction of participants of the Occupy Melbourne protest.
Robert Doyle defended his decision to evict the Occupy Melbourne protesters, stating that they were "a self-righteous, narcissistic, self-indulgent rabble tried to capture the city" and that a "hard core of serial and professional protesters" were involved.
Federal Treasurer Wayne Swan
Wayne Swan
Wayne Maxwell Swan is the Deputy Prime Minister of Australia and an Australian politician. He has been an Australian Labor Party member of the Australian House of Representatives from 1993 to 1996, and then re elected in 1998 till today , representing the Division of Lilley, QLD...
said the Occupy demonstrations in Australia and around the world have intensified debate about social and economic inequality in societies across the globe. However, Mr Swan said while the protests don't have a concrete set of aims or demands, those in Sydney and Melbourne should not have resulted in violence.
- "There seems to be a growing sense of frustration in many countries that opportunities are not being evenly shared and that the burden of the global economic downturn has been carried by those that can least bear it."
Robert Doyle later commented "We don't intend to allow people to set up tents anywhere in the city. We have adopted a zero-tolerance policy."
Day 8-15: Regroup
For 1 week following the eviction from City Square, working groups and committees continued to function off site as the occupation regrouped.Day 15-18: State Library occupation
Approximately 200-300 people remained on the State Library lawn after the move from Bowen Lane. 15-20 slept on the first night, while 30-50 slept each night thereafter.- 2nd Eviction:
During the first night at the State Library, a group of 60-80 had initially been occupying the State Library entry portico, but moved to the lawn following threats from Victoria Police. 15-20 people were removed from the State Library lawn in the early hours of the morning, no arrests were made. These people immediately moved back onto the lawn, where they slept that night without tents or structures.
Day 19-45: Treasury Gardens occupation
Following a decision at Melbourne's 11th General Assembly, Occupy Melbourne moved from the State Library lawn to Treasury Gardens and established an occupation without tents or structures.On November 12, a decision was passed supporting the autonomy of individuals to set up their own tents and marquees following the erection of a First Nations Embassy at the occupation.
On November 16, 160 police were called in by City of Melbourne officers to remove the First Nations Embassy. Occupiers peacefully defended the embassy, 3 people were arrested, 3 were charged with obstructing a council officer.
On November 18, 70 police were called in by City of Melbourne officers to remove the community sleeping tarpaulin. Occupiers peacefully defended the tarpaulin. 8 people were arrested.
On November 23, a contingent of police were called in by City of Melbourne officers to remove the First Aid Facilities, there were no arrests.
- White Ribbon Day raid
On November 25, a contingent of Victoria Police were called in by City of Melbourne officers to remove bedding and tarpaulins, 2 arrests were made and 5 reports of assult on peaceful protesters, no less than an hour before the commencement of the Walk Against Family Violence.
Day 45-present: Triangle occupation
On November 28, following an impending 10th raid at Treasury Gardens, occupiers chose to re-deploy the occupation at the Gordon Reserve Triangle between Parliament and Treasury, 50m north of Treasury Gardens. The decision was passed by consensus with one dissension and Gordon Reserve was taken at 4:40.Statistics
Current as of Sunday November 27:| Occupation | Nights | GAs | Arrests | Injuries | Evictions | Raids |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| City Square City Square, Melbourne The City Square is a pedestrian plaza and former civic centre located in the Central Business District of Melbourne, Australia. The square is currently bounded by Swanston Street, Collins Street, Flinders Lane and the Westin Hotel. Melbourne Town Hall and St Paul’s Cathedral are prominent... |
6 | 10 | 95 | 43 | 1 | - |
| Treasury Gardens Treasury Gardens, Melbourne The Treasury Gardens consist of 5.8 hectares on the south-eastern side of the Melbourne Central Business District, East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The gardens are bounded by Wellington Parade, Spring Street, Treasury Place, and by the Fitzroy Gardens across Lansdowne street to the west... |
24 | 7 | 14 | 10 | - | 9 |
| State Library State Library of Victoria The State Library of Victoria is the central library of the state of Victoria, Australia, located in Melbourne. It is on the block bounded by Swanston, La Trobe, Russell, and Little Lonsdale streets, in the northern centre of the central business district... |
3 | 3 | - | - | 1 | - |