Thursday’s “Occupy Light Rail” demonstration was smaller than predicted, but organizers said it was successful nonetheless.
The Occupy Light Rail demonstration was a new effort by Occupy Phoenix to draw attention to their cause.
In addition, a group of protesters performed a “die-in,” or pretending to die and then reawaking while chanting a catchphrase at the Arizona Center later on Thursday.
A total of 12 protesters boarded the light rail at three different stops early Thursday morning, where they passed out fliers and described their mission to the commuters.
“We had some good conversations on the light rail,” protester Dave Owen said. “We’re not here to light a fire, but instead to spark a conversation.”
Owen, his nephew and two other protesters boarded the light rail at 19th and Montebello avenues. They split up, two per car, and then rode the light rail from 19th and Montebello avenues to Washington Street and Central Avenue.
Owen responded to criticism by many members of the public that the 1 percent, which the Occupy movements protest against, does not ride the light rail.
“We’re all in this together,” he said. “It’s not about percents anymore.”
He also said the event was blown out of proportion by the media beforehand.
Owens said the protesters never expected more than 30 people and were pleased with the turnout, considering that it was a Thursday morning and many protesters have jobs.
Police were present at the light rail stops.
“The light rail protests this morning were insignificant,” Phoenix Police Sgt. Trent Crump said in an email. “Given the vast media attention we will always be prepared when it comes to ensuring the publics safety while using our public transportation system.”
Valley Metro spokesperson Hillary Foose said the transit officials was aware of the planned protests and made sure security was present.
“When we first heard about it, we were concerned about the safe and easy commute of our passengers,” Foose said.
Occupy Light Rail organizer Ezra Kaplan said they chose that venue to talk directly to an audience that he felt would be interested in his topic.
Economic hardships have caused more people to turn to public transportation, Kaplan said.
Kaplan boarded at Washington Street/Central Avenue.
“We wanted to wake everyone up and allow them to see what was going on,” Kaplan said. “Many people have become passé about economic hardships.”
Kaplan and Owen described the majority of their experiences on the light rail as mostly positive.
“It’s been about 60-40 (percent) in responses,” Owen said. “Sixty percent of the people appreciated our conversations.”
Later on Thursday, a group of 11 protesters gathered as part of a planned flash mob at the Arizona Center.
The protesters met at César Chávez Plaza in downtown Phoenix, where they planned the demonstration. Although initial fliers distributed on the light rail that morning had promised dance moves, they settled on a die-in.
The demonstration, which was scheduled to take place at 11:45 a.m., did not actually occur until after 1 p.m.
After much planning and discussion, the group set off for the Arizona Center. Along with the protesters came a handful of police officers and the young son of one of the protesters.
David Leffman participates at Occupy Seattle in his hometown and came to join in on the flash mob because he was in Phoenix.
“It’s a whole lot of fun to show people that democracy is not a spectator sport,” Leffman said. “You don’t have to be a crazy person to do it.”
Leffman said that he himself is a corporate officer in his company, a physical therapy practice.
Once at the Arizona Center, the protesters searched around for a place to protest. They settled on the middle of the lower level food court.
Flash mob organizer Justine Hecht let out a scream and then the occupiers collapsed on the ground, playing dead as protester Kristy Theilen led the chant, “Democracy has died, but now it is rising.”
The protesters were met with some cries of “get a job” and disinterest from other patrons of the nearby restaurants.
Following this demonstration, Arizona Center security told the protesters that they would be arrested for trespassing if they continued to pass out fliers or tried another flash mob.
In addition to the organized flash mob protests, the Occupy Phoenix food tent has adopted a new policy toward food give-outs.
The tent, which The State Press reported in October had given out food to anybody who wanted it, adopted a regular feeding schedule in the past week, food tent volunteer Cody Pearson said.
“We’ve had problems with people coming by and sapping our food supply,” Pearson said.
Pearson added that he personally did not condone saying no to any homeless people who needed food, but that other volunteers have been demanding that people actively participate by holding signs before they eat.
Reach the reporter at julia.shumway@asu.edu or follow @JMShumway on Twitter.
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