No Problems, as Occupy Austin Reconvenes
About 120 Occupy Austin protesters came to city hall plaza last night for the group's General Assembly.
That came just 24 hours after Austin Police were given the order to clear out the plaza, and enforce new city policies governing the use of the plaza. Seven people were arrested Friday night. Essentially, the new rules prohibit camping and storage of personal items in the plaza - and bar overnight use.
The Statesman reports this morning that the Occupiers last night decided to put their focus on city officials.
The group, voting with a show of "sparkle" hands raised in the air, agreed to "Occupy" City Manager Marc Ott, who on Thursday decided to change city policy and ban overnight stays at the plaza. What form that personal occupation will take, other than the appearance of many protesters at the next council meeting Thursday, was unclear. When one protester asked those present if they knew who on the Austin City Council was up for re-election, very few hands went up. A similar query about the date of the May 12 election likewise produced a light response, and incorrect information about the actual date.
Texas Connections in Komen vs. Planned Parenthood
Our partners over at the Texas Tribune have a breakdown of the Texas connections in the dispute last week between the Dallas-based Susan G. Komen for the Cure and Planned Parenthood.
The Trib's Emily Ramshaw reports Texas has a habit of being in the middle of these things:
But even before last week’s Komen vs. Planned Parenthood scuffle, Texas was ground zero for the nation’s abortion war. Last legislative session, state lawmakers passed a mandatory abortion sonogram law. They slashed state family-planning dollars for Planned Parenthood, even though the money was not used at clinics offering abortions. And they are threatening not to accept federal women’s health financing in Texas unless they can exclude Planned Parenthood clinics.