It took a few hours for radio stations in New York to catch up with news of the overnight eviction of Occupy Wall Street on Tuesday morning. When they did, the best coverage was Democracy Now , presented by Amy Goodman, and broadcast on WBAI in the city.
At the heart of the hour-long programme from 8am was a report from the site gathered during the night, featuring eyewitness accounts from protesters and a chaotic soundscape of nocturnal law enforcement. We heard chanting from those evicted; police commands; the rough, hasty gathering up of people's possessions; the grinding of rubbish trucks as they crunched up tents, books, clothing. "What we are seeing is democracy's debris," said Goodman. The police had assured protesters they could collect their belongings later, but that didn't seem likely. Goodman asked a rubbish truck driver where he was taking everything. "Guess to the dump," he replied.
The night's events, as seen from inside the camp, were vividly relayed by protesters. "They put up huge beams of light into the park," one explained. "It got super bright." They spoke of brutal treatment by the police, and how ill-judged a move this was by the city's authorities. "This is definitely going to sway indifferent people," said one protester. Another focused on the future: "Soon, soon, we're coming back. Get that straight right now."
