On January 16th, the Ukraine Parliament passed a new law that allows the encampment at Independence Square in Kiev to be dismantled and outlaws demonstrations. The measure follows a month-long occupation of the Square by protestors urging the government to consider trade agreements with the EU, a process that has been ongoing for years. The government had decided to reject the EU agreement in support of the agenda promoted through trade with Russia.

In the response following the passing of the law, the United States joined other nations in  accusing lawmakers “of circumventing normal legislative procedures in a bid to suppress dissent by restricting freedom of speech and freedom of assembly,” according to a report in the New York Times.

One is reminded of the struggles in the US during the time the Occupy movement had encampments in many major US cities and college campuses. Remember Seattle, UC-Davis, Oakland, New York and all the other places the encampments were violently dismantled, people arrested and voices silenced.

One has to wonder how the US government can suppress voices of dissent within our cities while decrying other world governments for doing the very same thing. With the US Constitution giving all Americans these rights, it is reprehensible to see the hypocrisy.

Occupy World Writes stands in Solidarity with those in Independence Square, the city of Kiev, the people of Ukraine and all other voices who Occupy public space to exercise the freedom of speech and the freedom of assembly.

We ARE the 99%.