Occupy Wall Street: One Year Later

By Brandon Jourdan and Marianne Maeckelbergh

From Sept 15-17th Occupy Wall Street gathered in lower Manhattan to commemorate one full year of actions. The three days where broken up into a day of education, a day of celebration, and a day of liberation.

Occupy Wall Street participants used the anniversary to show that they are still active, organizing actions everyday all across the city. This is a short documentary which highlights some of Occupy Wall Street’s recent accomplishments, its broader influence, and where it is headed.

Occupy Tactics: Violence and Legitimacy in the Occupy Movement and Beyond

Occupy Tactics: Violence and Legitimacy in the Occupy Movement and Beyond from brandon jourdan on Vimeo.

A Debate between Chris Hedges and the CrimethInc. Ex-Workers Collective on Tactics & Strategy, Reform & Revolution

Why a debate?
Since Occupy Wall Street took Zuccotti Park in September 2011, there has been a resurgence of social movement activity in the United States. As momentum has increased, age-old questions over tactics, strategy, and goals have returned to the fore.

What is violence? Who gets to define it? Do illegal actions have a place in our movements?
This discussion never takes place in a vacuum or on a level playing field; rather, it occurs within the context of a struggle that is already in progress, where every statement has immediate ramifications for the participants. Differing tactical approaches often reflect fundamental differences in strategy and goals.

DNC Protests 2012: The March On Wall Street South

On Sunday, September 2, 2012, hundreds of demonstrators marched through Charlotte, NC to protest before the opening of the 2012 Democratic National Convention.

DNC Protests 2012: The March On Wall Street South from brandon jourdan on Vimeo.

They Do Not Represent Us: Barcelona 12M-15M

By Brandon Jourdan and Marianne Maeckelbergh

From May 12-May 15th, protesters throughout Spain marked the first anniversary of the 15M movement by re-taking the streets and squares of over 80 cities. The 15M movement inspired people all over the world to occupy their local squares, to self-organize general assemblies and to build networks of solidarity in the face of severe economic policy. This short documentary documents the 15M anniversary protests in Barcelona.

The YouTube version is here:
http://youtu.be/LrZbfAr_Pk0

Musings on Horizontal Decision-Making and Bureaucracy

By Marianne Maeckelbergh

The year 2011 has breathed new life into horizontal models of democratic decision-making. With the rise of the 15 May movement and the occupy movement horizontal decision-making became one of the key political structures for organising responses to the current global economic crisis. While this decision-making process has arguably never been as widely practiced as it is today, it has also never seemed as difficult and complicated as it does today. At its height there were 5,000 people at the general assemblies in Placa Catalunya in Barcelona and even more in Madrid. It is no longer just activists trying to use and teach each other these decision-making processes but it is hundreds or thousands of people who have a far greater disparity in terms of backgrounds, starting assumptions, aims and discursive styles. This is incredibly good news, but it is not easy.

Full Article on Stir

The Battle of Oakland

By Brandon Jourdan and David Martinez

On January 28th, 2012, Occupy Oakland moved to take a vacant building to use as a social center and a new place to continue organizing. This is the story of what happened that day as told by those who were a part of it. it features rare footage and interviews with Boots Riley, David Graeber, Maria Lewis, and several other witnesses to key events.

Occupied Barcelona: The Spanish Election Rejection

By Marianne Maeckelbergh and Brandon Jourdan

In the midst of rising unemployment rates, extensive austerity measures and increased privatization, many Spanish people are losing faith in electoral politics.

Defending Ms. Ward

By Brandon Jourdan and Marianne Maeckelbergh

Hundreds of Brooklyn residents successfully defend 82-year old Ms. Ward against eviction resulting from an illegal subprime loan.