Occupy Boston protesters plan potential reoccupation

Although officials ended Occupy Boston’s Dewey Square encampment in December, protester Dennis Jackson said he wants to “keep up the fight.”

About 30 people attended a General Assembly at Emmanuel Church on Thursday night to discuss upcoming plans.

“Keep up the fight, this is the beginning of the second American Revolution,” Jackson said to the group. “What started in Egypt is going to spread to D.C. over this upcoming election.”

The movement still has a busy calendar. Some members announced an Occupy the T protest against Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority fare hikes, a Veterans for Peace parade on St. Patrick’s Day and an opening for volunteers for Occupy Boston TV.

But the General Assembly was smaller than the initial meeting on Boston Common in September, partially because many members were protesting the website Barstool Sports.

Meanwhile, a group of protesters joined Knockout Barstool, a group of Northeastern University and other college students against the Barstool website. They marched from NEU’s campus to protest at the House of Blues, a venue of the Barstool Blackout Tour.

Because of the protest Thursday night, those at the General Assembly voted against holding a quorum and deciding on issues for all members of Occupy Boston.

One member spoke to the assembly on behalf of Occupy University of Massachusetts-Boston, which first set up camp at the college’s Campus Center on Jan. 23.

“Please respect the delicate nature of the occupation with the rest of the student body,” the member said. “It is the impression that Occupy Boston is running the UMass occupation. We stand in solidarity with Occupy Boston, just as Occupy Boston stands in solidarity with Occupy Wall Street, and we wish you to stand in solidarity with us.”

The message from Occupy UMass-Boston also asked that Occupy Boston respect community guidelines and not have overnight visitors.

Despite Occupy Boston’s loss in Dewey Square, members said they had faith in the future of the movement.

Martin, who asked to keep his last name anonymous, said he had just gotten back from a trip to New York, Philadelphia and D.C.

“There’s some pretty interesting things going on, specifically in Occupy Philly,” Martin said. “They’re doing some pretty amazing things and they seem to have a lot of same issues that we do.”

Jorge Alvarez said he worried when he saw the numbers dwindling at General Assemblies in mid-January.

“We’re in a hibernation mode and we’re just ready, you know, I guess like a crocus waiting to pop out in the spring,” Alvarez said.

Alvarez said Occupy Boston is ready to go forward with an “American Spring” and see the same sort of action and intensity of last fall.

Kegan, who also asked to keep his last name anonymous, said he has participated in Occupy Boston for two weeks and it looks promising.

“It might be hitting a slow point,” Kegan said, “but it’s about to pick up.”

Alvarez said Occupy Boston members like to keep others guessing what their plans are, though there is strong talk about reoccupation.

Meanwhile, Occupy Boston will hold community gatherings.

“Community gatherings are really a way of a specific working group to educate us not only on what they’re working on,” Alvarez said, “but also to have possibly other people join and really educate the community.”

General Assemblies still continue, but they only take place four days a week instead of seven, Alvarez said.

Patricia Remer, a facilitator of the discussion, said it is unfortunate they cannot yell and scream in churches and basements, but she is looking forward to the Veterans for Peace parade and other upcoming demonstrations.

“I’m looking forward to whatever it is that we decide to do on April 1, which may or may not include a reoccupation and may or may not be [in] Dewey Square,” Remer said. “And I’m looking forward to us getting angry, and I’m looking forward to us doing that together.”