To prepare for subzero winter temperatures and accommodate the growing number of protesters at the movement’s camp in Dewey Square, Occupy Boston is searching for new locations to settle.
The Logistics group addressed their concerns with the lack of space in Dewey Square as the amount of Occupiers and volunteers grow during a “winterization” meeting on Saturday. They said they are currently searching for a larger space outside of the square to expand, “preferably indoors.”
Now that the movement is garnering national and international attention, protesters said they do not want to be stopped by cold weather.
Writer, sociologist and scholar Todd Gitlin spoke to a crowd in Dewey Square on Saturday at what Occupiers call “the soapbox,” where both scheduled and spur-of-the-moment talks about pertinent issues are given.
“Goldman Sachs doesn’t fold up for the winter,” Gitlin said.
He added that despite the concerns about the weather and power of the one percent, “facts are facts. Now this movement [Occupy Boston] is also a fact.”
Other Occupy volunteers said it is important that the movement last through the winter.
“If this all goes into November and December, I’m hoping we can sustain,” said Occupy volunteer Larry Peterson.
The source of the worry is not food resources, as donations to Occupy Boston have “slightly overwhelmed” coordinators, who are currently putting a hold on all non-ready-to-eat items, according to The Occupy Boston Globe, the movement’s online news source.
The exact details on how the camp might be made more stable are under development, because “no one really knows what the city will allow – it’s kind of like game theory,” Peterson said.
Despite the uncertainty, Peterson said that there is nothing more important than keeping the movement going.
Occupy Boston is working with MIT engineers to develop safe heating systems for the camp that will not monopolize their electricity or gas resources, Peterson said.
The movement had its first Winterization and Logistics group meeting in October to plan for the cold weather.
At the meeting, the Winterization and Logistics group representative said that they have started by ordering a sturdier tent for the kitchen area.
They also voted to allot an additional $2,000 to a winter storm emergency fund. The fund was allotted $5,000 last weekend for the purchase of weatherproof tents.
The Occupy Boston Globe listed steps to keep the movement safe and warm on its website. Tips include keeping personal areas dry and seeking medical help if one is feeling symptoms of hypothermia.
The group is also looking for donations of items such as zero-degree sleeping bags, cots, greenhouse materials and anything else that can be donated.
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Jesus, use the money you collected to rent a damn warehouse. All this ‘sing around the campfire’ crap is just stupid. Hone the message and stop playing urban boy scouts.