A 2011 Redux: mass arrests during one year anniversary Occupy demo

By Heather Turner

The shame of police behavior in NYC and other municipalities, which effectively shut down what was a nation-wide movement, has clearly not sunken in. The one year anniversary of the Occupy Wallstreet protests ended with 185 arrests Monday. And, of course, the use of something familiar to activists: heavy-handed police tactics. Police also made no distinction between protesters and journalists: (The Nation)

It was one of the largest turnouts since the early days of Occupy, but Monday was also exceptional because of the high arrest figures. More than 180 individuals, including journalists, were arrested

and in at least some of these cases, the police were arresting individuals arbitrarily and without cause.

Protesters reported, and I witnessed first-hand, police dragging individuals off of sidewalks (previously considered the "safe space" of activists who don't wish to participate in direct action and go to jail) into the street where they were then arrested. When press attempted to rush forth to photograph these arrests, the police formed a wall and aggressively shoved back journalists, making it difficult to document the actions.

At one point, a NYPD white shirt supervising officer told a group of journalists, "You can't stand and take more pictures. That's over with."

"I just got out of jail. Was arrested despite screaming over and over that I'm a journalist," Chris Faraone, a Boston Phoenix staff writer, tweeted.

Julia Reinhart, a photojournalist, was also arrested even through she was wearing identification that listed her as a member of the National Press Photographers Association.

Another journalist from WPIX was arrested Monday, as was journalist and illustrator Molly Crabapple and independent journalist John Knefel. Knefel's sister, Molly, described the arrest as "violent and unprovoked."

Later in the evening, New York City Councilman Jumaane Williams was assaulted in Zuccotti Park by the NYPD. Protester Jeff Rae photographed a NYPD officer jamming his baton into the councilman's chest.

NTQ! Pods: Mass arrests during London's Critical Mass ride near Olympic Stadium

Pictured: Pavel Gaik, standing with a borrowed bike.

NTQ!'s Heather Turner speaks with Pavel Gaik, who was one of nearly 200 cyclists kettled and detained on Friday night outside of the Olympic Stadium as the opening ceremony unfolded. The cyclists were part of "Critical Mass," a cycling event that is held monthly in London and in hundreds of cities and towns across the globe. When some two hundred cyclists approached the Olympic Stadium, they were met by London's Metropolitan Police and transport police. The Critical Mass cyclists were kettled for hours and later detained on buses. Police later charged three of the cyclists with various crimes including assaulting a police officer, according to the Guardian. Pavel Gaik was one of the one hundred and eighty two cyclists who were detained and had their cycles confiscated.