Locked out: Scenes from #OccupyHarvard's first night

“HEY IS THIS THE TRUST FUND CLUB?” shouted an #OccupyBoston protester in a black hoodie, bandana and backpack, through the big metal fence surrounding Harvard Yard, at around 10PM last Wednesday night -- the first night of #OccupyHarvard. Inside, a small circle of frustrated freshman in sweatpants and maroon baseball caps were yelling at Occupiers to “go home.”

“NO, THIS IS THE WE WORK OUR ASSES OFF CLUB,” responded a student in a grey Harvard t-shirt. “SOME OF THE 99 PERCENT HAS TO WAKE UP FOR CLASS IN THE MORNING.”

It was roughly two hours after #OccupyHarvard’s first General Assembly, and tensions between the university and the occupiers were already escalating. And now, almost a week later, Harvard Yard -- where 30 tents of protesters are occupying -- is still on a permanent lock down.

Throughout the first night, as students with Harvard IDs created an encampment, hundreds of other protesters, students, faculty, staff, and community members marched and rallied on the perimeters, blocked by security guards from entering the yard itself. Here's how that night went down.

***

When protesters and community supporters showed up at Harvard Yard on Wednesday night at 7 PM -- where the first G.A. was scheduled to take place -- all entrances were locked. At one entrance stood a group of Harvard security guards, only allowing students with Harvard IDs to enter. Some BU and Northeastern students wandered outside the gate, unsure where to go. Someone reported that the group would be meeting across the street instead.

As a small group huddled outside the Au Bon Pan across Mass Ave, a couple of reporters asked about the goals of #OccupyHarvard. Students explained: #OccupyHarvard's goal is to express solidarity with global Occupy movements. It is also to “protest the corporatization of higher education, epitomized by Harvard University,” read a press release issued by Occupy Harvard facilitators. “We see injustice in the 180:1 ratio between the compensation of Harvard’s highest-paid employee, the head of internal investments at Harvard Management Corporation, and the lowest-paid employee, an entry-level custodial worker.”

Around 7:30, as the swarm of locked-out protesters grew, they decided to move their rally to the sidewalk outside of the yard’s main entrance instead. The crowd was a mix of students, media, and community members, with a large presence of the university’s janitors and their children. “We want a university for the 99%” read most signs, while a few targeted labor issues specifically, reading “HARVARD’S SWEATSHOP HOTELS EXPLOIT THE 99%.” Janitors chanted “SI SE PUEDE” while students chanted “Education is a right, not just for the rich and white.” Each human-mic outside of Harvard Yard was echoed in both English and Spanish.

Around 7:45 PM, students and protesters marched towards the Harvard Law School lawn, an open space where the GA would commence instead of on the Harvard Yard, as planned. “Harvard’s what hypocrisy looks like,” shouted marchers as they took off down Mass Ave, blocking traffic throughout Harvard Square, interspersed with the usual “This is what democracy looks like” chants.

***

“Welcome to Occupy Harvard,” said one of the student-facilitators standing on a wooden picnic table, once the 300ish-strong group reached the Law School lawn. She then explained consensus decision making and modified consensus, and made a list ("took stack") of everyone who wished to speak to the entire group. The GA’s speakers included staff, faculty, students, Cambridge residents, and reps from Occupy Boston and Occupy Cambridge, with some speaking in English and some speaking in Spanish. One of those speakers was Dr. Timothy McCarthy, a lecturer at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government:

“I've been at Harvard a long time, and I've never seen this many people at the gates trying to prevent people from entering Harvard Yard," said McCarthy to a crowd of hundreds, mostly sitting on the lawn. "At all my time at Harvard I’ve never believed that the Harvard Law School could be a more free public space than the Harvard Yard.

"This is not the first time that the people have occupied Harvard," he added, reminding the assembly that Harvard has been occupied before -- by troops during the Revolutionary War, and "when Harvard did not pay its janitors a living wage."

“And tonight, today, at this moment in our history, we must occupy again. Harvard employs the very people who were responsible for the global economic meltdown. And the political insitutions that facilitated it. And have created the suffering that engulfs not only this nation but the globe as whole ....Harvard has faculty that have made war more efficient. Harvard has economists that teach us that profits are more important than people. And we are here today to say that peace is more important than war, to say that people are more important than profits, and to say that the majority is right and the minority is wrong at this hour in history."

"The one percent is scared because the ninety-nine percent is mobilized," McCarthy concluded. "We are the ninety-nine percent and it is time to take back this world."

A rep from #OccupyBoston followed. “Welcome to the revolution,” he said. “Come visit us in Dewey… it is glorious but we need more people.”

Later, proposals were taken to determine what sort of action would be taken throughout the night. “Let’s use our mass to do an act of nonviolent civil disobedience,” suggested one protester.  This idea was considered, but eventually, through modified consensus, it was decided that the group would continue with the original plan to try occupying Harvard Yard. “Congratulations, we just made our first decision together,” said the facilitator after counting hands.

***

From there, the entire 300ish-strong group proceeded to Harvard Yard, attempting to enter through a gate by the Harvard Science Center, but were locked out by police officers and security guards. One protester hopped the fence and was detained, but quickly released.

As the police officers closed and locked one entrance, a large mob of protesters tried to push its way in. As 50 or so students pushed and pushed and screamed at the officers, the police pushed back.

“Shame, shame, shame, shame,” protesters chanted.

The massive group eventually left for the Mass Ave entrance instead, soundtracked by the typical chants -- “We are the 99 percent” and “This is what democracy looks like.” On the way over, locked-in students conversed with locked-out students through the big metal fences. One student who was locked in was lifted by his a friend, to climb over the fence and join the rally.

“ONE PERCENT, ONE PERCENT,” shouted a group of bro-y looking dudes from their dorm room window on Mass Ave.

“OCCUPY J.P. LICKS FOR THEIR OVERPRICED ICE CREAM!” screamed one of them over a megaphone.

***

The hundreds-strong group reached the Mass Ave entrance -- also locked -- and all sat down. A line of police officers stood at the gate, dividing a group of students convened on the inside of the fence from everyone outside. A second impromptu assebly ensued to decide the next course of action: should an exterior occupation happen at the Science Center lawn? Or the Holyoke center across the street? Or should the protesters take to the streets and #OccupyMassAve?

“I want to voice a concern based on the experience of Occupy Boston” said Nadeem, an #OccupyBoston organizer, using the human mic. “A concern about the Science Center… A lot of the success of Occupy has to do with visibility and continuity…. The press … and the Harvardians … will come if you are visible. I suggest, don’t tuck yourself away … And I appreciate your laughter, police officers. I know you’re secretly with us.”

Eventually it was decided that it made most sense for students with IDs to enter and work towards creating the camp, while everyone else decided on a solidarity action.

“If you don’t have an ID and you want to stay in solidarity, please sit down,” instructed a facilitator.

Texts and tweets updated those outside of Harvard Yard on the activity of the students inside. “Right now there is a yard GA happening inside,” said one occupier, reading from her phone. “Occupiers are expressing hope that non-students will be allowed in ASAP.”

The GA broke into small groups to discuss solidarity actions.

“Part of the revolution is building relationships with your neighbors," instructed a facilitator. “Take a moment right now, turn to the person next to you, introduce yourself.”

Despite the tense nature of the situation and students heckling from above, spirits stayed high. “Can I get a temperature check if you recognize that this act of us here using consensus is radical?” asked a facilator, met with a sea of high finger-wiggling. She later called out: “MIC CHECK, How many people, think the occupy movement, is pretty exciting? How many people, think the occupy movement, can change the world?”

Eventually, the group decided that the best solidarity action would be a march around the Harvard Yard.

The march started slowly and quietly, eventually escalating from a few dozens to 50ish protesters, with chants like “FEED THE POOR, EAT THE RICH” and some singing “Solidarity Forever.”

A group of about ten kids came out of their dorm rooms, most decked in Harvard apparel and sweat pants, screaming through the Harvard Yard fences at protesters to leave because they were trying to sleep.

“NO, THIS IS THE WE-WORK-OUR-ASSES-OFF CLUB,” responded a student in a gray Harvard t-shirt. 

“WEE. CAAAN’T. HEEEAR. YOUUUU,” screamed a few of the Harvard freshman in unison, through the fence, alternating chanting and clapping, as if at a football game.

Protesters responded.

“MIC CHECK," said one. "I DON’T FEEL I HAVE TO BE RESPECTFUL TO HARVARD, BECAUSE I LIVE IN A COMMUNITY, THAT HARVARD IS FUCKING OVER.” (She meant Allston.)

“I GOT INTO HARVARD," shouted another. "I WAS THE TOP OF MY SCHOOL AT A PRIVATE SCHOOL. I WAS A TOP ATHLETE AND THEN I GOT ILL. I HAVE OVER 100 GRAND IN MEDICAL BILLS. I CAN'T BE HERE BECAUSE HARVARD’S SYSTEM DOES NOT GIVE A FUCK ABOUT PEOPLE LIKE ME.”

“This does not have to do with the issues!” screamed one student back across the fence, a dude wearing sweatpants and a Harvard t-shirt. “You fucking selfish narrow minded people need to shut the fuck up!

“They can only let so many people into a college!” screamed Harvard guy in baggy jeans.

At this point, the security guards had locked down Harvard Yard completely, not even letting in students with IDs.

The next few minutes sounded like this:

“MONEY FOR JOBS AND EDUCATION NOT FOR WARS AND CORPORATION.”

 “What are all of these people arguing about, I’m still a little unclear.”

"They’re fuckin’ narrow minded piece a shits!”

 “HARVARD OUT OF ALLSTON. HARVARD OUT OF EXISTENCE.”

 “There’s a fucking ton of huge issues going on in the world more important than this!”

 “This is hilarious.”

 “WE ARE THE NINETY-NINE PERCENT. YOU ARE THE NINETY-NINE PERCENT... Wait actually …”

 “I just wanna go to my dorm.”

Near the fence, a Harvard kid in a purple button down shirt and a skateboard walked over from his dorm, and said through the fence: “I want to apologize on behalf of everybody who is not being a douchebag right now … not all of us are like this. This is ridiculous. … these people who are screaming at you…are ridiculous.”

 Another Harvard kid said something similar. “Those kids are obviously douchebags but they’re also probably on the lacrosse team so I’m not so surprised.”

 ***

The crowds eventually cleared and calmed down, and security guards eventually let all students with IDs into the Harvard Yard. From around 10:30 PM onwards, student organizers set up 30-something tents surrounding a statue of John Harvard. Harvard Yard currently remains on permanent lock down, with security guards regularly checking IDs at every entrance. “We object to the continued constraints and encourage the administration to restore full and free access to the Yard,” said a statement passed by the #OccupyHarvard General Assembly last Thursday night. “Our movement is made up of Harvard students, staff, and faculty, and we pose no threat to the University or the ‘safety, security, and well-being’ of fellow Harvard affiliates.” Occupy Harvard’s statement of principles is online at occupyharvard.net/about.