U.S. News - 'Mockupy': Protesters flood into supposed TV set replicating Occupy camp

courtesy Tim Weldon

Occupy protesters gather at Foley Square in New York City for a recreation of their former camp for an episode of 'Law and Order'.

By Miranda Leitsinger, msnbc.com

Dozens of protesters from Occupy Wall Street converged overnight Thursday on another park in New York City – where they say a television set for an upcoming “Law & Order” episode replicating their Occupy Wall Street camp has been set up, according to various reports on Twitter, a live video stream and a demonstrator.
“Light, camera, ACTION! Everybody head to Foley Square. Bring y(ou)r headshots and make y(ou)rself at home! See you at midnite! #Mockupy #D9,” read a tweet sent out from the OccupyWallSt Twitter account.
No one from the long-running crime series – which often films in New York and touts its episodes as ripped from the headlines – could be immediately reached to learn if this was indeed the show’s set. But later Friday, Sharon Pannozzo, publicity director of East Coast Entertainment for NBC, said the company would not be making a comment at this time.
However, according to protester Tim Weldon, a board at the site read: “Please be advised that the T.V. show, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit will be preparing this area of the park for a scene to be filmed in the morning hours on Friday, December 9th. All items in park will be removed immediately upon completion of filming.” (The television show airs on NBC. Msnbc.com is a joint venture of NBC Universal and Microsoft).
The playing of drums and “mic check” – the call for announcements – could be heard in Foley Square via a live video stream (which also tweeted their participation: “We have an incredibly special episode of OWSNYC tonight at midnight”).
“This feels good,” said one man who led others in a “mic check” at the scene, which was being followed under the hashtags "Mockupy" and "Fauxcotti" (a play on the former camp's location at Zuccotti Park near Wall Street -- from where they were evicted on Nov. 15).
“Ok, I've just snuck into a tent here at Fake Zuccotti Park and I'm going to live tweet all night and then the shoot tomorrow Ha …,” tweeted Newyorkist, who also noted: “A lot of signs all over the place. Some wanted signs too, featuring CEOs” and he linked to this photo.
“Law & Order's fake Zuccotti is hilarious," tweeted Christopher Robbins, a reporter at Gothamist who linked to this photo. "The food in the kitchen is real!”

courtesy Tim Weldon

A sandwich board at Foley Square with information about the filming.

But some people lamented the quality of the replication: “You can totally tell those signs were made by drones. real #OWS are way more colorful & less 'fonty' than those,” tweeted Liza Sabater.

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Jokes abounded about the longevity of the show versus that of the camp: “We were evicted and #lawandorder still hasn't been canceled?” read a tweet from the official NYC_GA (NYC General Assembly) account.

Weldon – and numerous photos on Twitter – recounted the replication of their former library, kitchen and tents – and, in some cases, how off it was.

“It’s the most comical thing ... it’s just so hilarious,” Weldon said, noting he had found pamphlets on Pap smears and anesthesia and books like “Mommy Dearest.”

It didn’t seem the protest would last long, with protesters noting on Twitter and the live stream the arrival of police.

"We want Law & Order!" the protesters chanted at one point, Weldon said.

Production crews appeared to be taking tents down – and Weldon said they wouldn’t talk to him when he tried to speak with them – and police were telling people that they had to leave or they would be arrested.
“Captain telling Law & Order guy, ‘permit is pulled. Break it down now,’" Newyorkist, of nyctheblog.com, tweeted.
A man identified as Brian Donohue on Twitter noted: "Can you evict a fake idea? Can you fake-evict an idea? Can the occupiers at the perimeter move to arrest the NYPD inside?"
A police spokesman said there were no arrests or incidents at Foley Square. He did not know the subject of the production, and said the mayor's office handled filming permits.
All was not lost on the protesters. One man shown on the live video stream encouraged the crowd to do more such guerrilla actions, especially creative ones, noting it could be "a way to make actions go viral."


U.S. News - 'Mockupy': Protesters flood into supposed TV set replicating Occupy camp