(photo: Paul Weiskel )
For two days now, hundreds of protesters have occupied Zuccotti Park, a private park in and around Wall Street, as part of Occupy Wall Street. (See last night’s live blog here.) The protesters intended to legally assemble and demonstrate on the public sidewalks on Wall Street, but the New York Police Department (NYPD) put up blockades before the planned occupation began preventing any protests from happening.
That more than a hundred have been allowed to sleep in the park for two nights now is quite an accomplishment. Every night they sleep in the park (which has been dubbed Liberty Plaza) and prolong this occupation the protesters are increasing the possibility for seriously calling attention to the corruption perpetrated by Wall Street. Having a site to call home base actually makes it possible to call the action an occupation.
Moreover, the organizers appear to be benefiting from past occupations elsewherre this year. Individuals from all over the world placed orders for pizza last night at a place called Liberato’s Pizza. The orders totaled $2,800 and the place ran out of dough and ingredients, which meant the protesters had to shift to wings orders. The website where orders were being placed crashed and the owner asked people to stop placing orders. As one protester tweeted, a real-life DDoS attack just took place on a pizza place.
The owner reportedly told protesters the place would name a pizza after the Occupy Wall Street action. Protesters are to vote on the toppings that they think should be on such a pizza. The pizza place is excited to be feeding the occupation, as it tweeted, “We’re restocked and ready for orders!” and “Firing up the Ovens, today is gonna be an awesome day!”
Full story here:   http://dissenter.firedoglake.com/2011/09/19/pizza-orders-from-around-the-world-a-sign-occupywallstreet-could-last-awhile/