After walking through Waikiki from Diamond Head, I met the Occupy Honolulu demonstrators by the Halekulani Hotel and joined them, retracing my steps back through Waikiki to the Gandhi statue in Kapiolani Park.
It was great fun to find many friends I had not seen in a long time among the large and enthusiastic crowd, chanting: "Show me what democracy looks like/THIS is what democracy looks like!" And another favorite: "Whose streets? OUR streets!” Many people driving by honked their horns in support, adding to the joyful cacophony in the street.
The rally ended in the park in the shade of banyan trees where volunteers had set up a table with sandwiches and salads. Besides a cooler of water, someone had provided a bunch of coconuts, as well.
People ate and visited, while a couple of guys played guitar and ukulele. It looked like a big gathering of family and friends, wonderfully friendly and laid back.
I left before the General Assembly, planned for 3:00 PM. I had a great day!
great reportage ! good spirits like anywhere else I saw, Amsterdam was great as well , the news here said 1000 people but there where 10000 at least ! great movement, where will it go, Elsha ????
ReplyDeleteTo a better world, Menno!
ReplyDeletehey your comment box works! Great photos, Elsha! Glad the police did not get involved in this demo. There have been clashes on the mainland.
ReplyDeleteDid you know that HPD is training people to assist groups that meet in public places? They're a new division of the police force. They cannot arrest anyone, don't dress in uniform (they wear aloha shirts with arm badge identification), and they say they're there "to help," whatever that means. They do wear bullet-proof vests underneath their shirts, though. At the Bethel/Hotel meeting place in Chinatown there were three, maybe four, of them present. They did one thing right: They talked a disturbed homeless guy out of wanting to fight. At today's rally I only saw two. They kind of kept an eye on traffic. I figure they're getting trained for APEC.
ReplyDeleteThat's good to know!
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