Occupy
protests have been popping up all over the U.S. since September, and have been
making front page news ever since ... all except the original: Occupy Wall
Street. Since the break out of the protest, there has been little media
coverage addressing the concerns and actions of the original protest, and this,
no doubt, has been leaving the “Wall Street-ers” a little more than frustrated.
The purpose of the protests, all along, have been to get their voice out there
about be heard. And well, how can that be possible when the media coverage you’re
aiming for is ignoring you?
Many
protests that followed suit after Occupy Wall Street have been doing a decent
job in staying the media’s eye, so where did they go wrong?
Occupy
Portland has been the most heard about protest, for me at least. It seems like
every week, a new story is being written about the protestors’ behavior and
their interaction with the police. Several are getting arrested due to their
lack of cooperation, and it seems like the Twitter world is keeping track of
their every move.
Recently,
Seattle made news for its pepper spray incident. An 84-year-old woman was
sprayed with pepper spray after the protests got out of control. This caused
the police monitoring the Occupy protestors to face a small amount of scrutiny
for their excessive force used to control the crowds.
And
even Dallas as has become a talked about protest. Though they have been the
least aggressive of the three mentioned, Dallas protestors have been given
media coverage not only through local news stations but through website
articles. Most articles talked about the impending eviction of the group of
protestors before the news finally broke that on Thursday, Nov. 18, they were
finally evicted and as many as 18 protestors were arrested.
So
what was Occupy Wall Street doing wrong?
They
were the creators of the movement, and have finally learned that its scandal
that causes their branch to be recognized. 20-year-old Brandon Watts is
officially the face behind the Occupy Wall Street protests. On Tuesday, the
police found themselves in another battle with the protestors, injuring Watts
in the process. By Friday, his face, bloodied from the struggle, was front page
news for the Daily News and Metro newspapers. Finally, the coverage that they
seek was being granted.
While
all branches of protestors have, without a doubt, clashed with police officials
across the country for their pickets and stances, the ones earning the most
media coverage are the ones where police brutality seems to be at its most
extreme. With Seattle, the 84-year-old was the story, not so much the teenager
and priest that were also pepper strayed during the riot. It’s about finding
that “extreme” situation. And Occupy Wall Street finally found it in Watts. The
coverage of his face, covered in blood, is the very definition of a riot gone
too far. And that is how to get your name out there.
While
I know it wasn’t the intent of the protestors the make national coverage that
way, it does define what it might take to make your branch heard over the rest.
When there are several protestors spanning the U.S. standing for the same
thing, police opposition isn’t going to be enough to make your branch and their
issues national news. Instead, there needs to be that bigger “incident” that
gives that branch their time to speak on their own personal stances.
Well,
Occupy Wall Street, now is your chance.
Sources:
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