Cold weather has forced the (un)Occupy Albuquerque movement indoors and online.
Protester Erica Estes said the movement has gone virtual.
Protesters use websites such as unoccupyabq.org, occupyalbuquerque.org and Facebook instead of picketing outdoors.
“Those of us you saw in the Yale Park are still present, are still active and are still taking part in the movement,” she said. “We’re just not outside in the cold right now.”
Student and protester Cisco Padilla said the weather poses a serious health concern to some members of the movement.
“One of the reasons (protesters) haven’t been here recently is because some people have certain issues that don’t allow them to be in the cold,” he said. “We have elderly protesters, disabled protesters and children protesters, most of whom aren’t able to endure this kind of weather.”
Student and protester Benjamin Abbott said the weather isn’t the only thing keeping protesters out of Yale Park.
“People are afraid ever since the police came and arrested a lot of us, including myself,” he said. “Many of us are avoiding the park because we’re afraid of that happening again.”
UNM administration granted protesters a temporary permit that allows protesters to occupy Yale Park from 5 to 10 p.m. on weekdays. The permit must be renewed weekly.
Estes said the permit isn’t fair.
“The compromised permit isn’t really a compromise at all,” she said. “(These new hours) are less than half of the hours the park is open to the public.”
Protesters willing to brave have ventured off UNM campus to demonstrate in several locations around Albuquerque.
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Dozens of protesters gathered at I-25’s on and off ramps last Thursday to support the $25 million bond for a Paseo/I-25 interchange project. The project could potentially create construction projects on city bridges in need of work, which could mean more jobs and a boost to the local economy.
According to unoccupyabq.org, more off-campus (un)Occupy Albuquerque protests are planned for upcoming weeks. Protesters are planning an event called “Rockupy Robinson Park,” which takes place on Dec. 3. Protesters will march from the Rail Runner station downtown to Robinson Park where there will be food, music and a petition.
Other proposed protests include a Black Friday flash mob to promote the boycott of Black Friday shopping and also the “Auction of Dreams” auction protesting against foreclosed homes.
“We plan on continuing to answer the national calls to action in whatever way we can,” Estes said “It is up to the community to make these protests huge.”
