By Julie Giebler
Associate Editor
Tarps and duct tape are what occupiers use most to secure their tents.
Bundled up to his neck in a thick wool scarf and with a knit cap covering his ears, Kristopher Eric Martin of the Winterizing Committee for Occupy Boston rubbed his two fuzzy gloves together for warmth.
“We’re trying our best to keep our people warm and our tents equipped with adequate resources so they can stay warm and dry,” said the Harvard University student.
“People think we’re worried about the rough weather, but we know we can deal with it. People out here don’t like cold weather, but they dislike corporate greed and police brutality a lot more.”
Occupy Boston is a northeastern sector of the Occupy Wall Street movement, which originated in Zuccotti Park in New York City. The movement started as an encampment of political protestors demanding economic equality in America, emphasizing that much of the country’s wealth belongs to one percent of the population.
Approximately 200 people, who have made their home in Occupy Boston’s Dewey Square park, now coined “Tent City,” are readying themselves for the upcoming colder weather.
Martin said the Winterizing Committee has consulted a number of “survival experts, army veterans and the homeless” within the group, who all have experience living in cold weather.
Following some of their recommendations, he said, “We start from the ground up. We try and supply people with rubber boots and thermal underwear. Nothing made of cotton because of its ability to absorb water, so we try to stick to wool products. Layers are very important, followed by water repellent outside layers.”
Aside from the “personal winterizing” in the occupiers’ attire, Tent City has undergone some minor renovations to keep any unwanted elements out.
Layers of blue and grey plastic tarps line all corners of the tents, and duct tape is used to patch any tears and hold together tent posts.
Martin said the outside community has been very generous, and last week, a group of people from Newton walked to Dewey Square with handfuls of 50 blankets. And even an online political blog, firedoglake.com, requested that its followers make donations to the Occupy Movement.
Although some outsiders commend their political movement, the Boston Police Department has remained adamant in its efforts to end the Boston Occupy protests.
Martin added that a major conflict with the police is that they’re banning of any further tent deliveries to Dewey Square.
According to Martin, the Winterizing Committee tried to bring in weatherized army tents, but “police are actively disallowing winterizing tents to enter the park … and even a delivery truck was unlawfully raided” by a Boston police officer.
Martin said the occupiers are well aware that the city doesn’t want them to feel comfortable, and that Boston officials hope occupiers will eventually “become a safety hazard” when the weather gets too cold.
“Winter tents are ‘contraband,’ according to the Boston Police Department and the mayor’s office – even when they say safety is their concern. Their words don’t coincide with their actions,” he added.
Occupiers are also unable to keep warm through camp fires, as no combustion heating is allowed in the park.
Despite frequent chills and near-numb extremities, Boston’s occupiers are doing their best to carry on with their daily tasks.
Meetings are still held at their scheduled times, the food tent never runs empty and even puppet shows go on as a form of entertainment.
Steve Kellerman, a U.S. army veteran, is not a “resident” of Tent City, but comes down every day to set up his card table full of anti-capitalist and anarchist information pamphlets.
He adjusted his circular, wire-rimmed glasses on his red-tipped nose. “I’ll be down here as long as the people are here. This is a move in the right direction.” Kellerman doesn’t think the cold weather or snow will stop the Occupy Bostonians from residing in Dewey Square.
As he fiddled with his table full of pamphlets with titles such as “Anarchists and Communism” and “Anarchist Economies,” he recalled the first time he was able to vote, back in 1964.
“It hasn’t been the same since then, since I voted for Lyndon B. Johnson. And that’s why we’re here. And that’s why we’ll withstand the cold,” he said as he pointed to the “99%” button pinned to his lapel.
Wooden pallets and planks create paths through Tent City. “Weird Street” and “Gandhi Way” are two of the pathways created by the occupiers.
Wayne Green, a U.S. army veteran, makes his home in a tent located on Gandhi Way and has been living in Dewey Square since the start of the movement.
He chuckled when he said he had no concerns regarding upcoming weather conditions. “I have an electric heater in my tent!”
Green said his electric heater cost around $20 or $30. The heater used to warm his tent comes with an additional battery so the drained one can be recharged.
Batteries can be charged in an electrical outlet, which seems rather difficult for a group of outdoor dwellers. It may be difficult, but not impossible.
Occupiers use two old bicycles, with immobilized back wheels, and pure leg power to charge battery packs. The battery packs have two three-pronged batter outlets and two USB-ports for phone charging.
Green said if the average person pedaled the bike for one hour, the battery pack could power a light bulb for one hour. “If we had Lance Armstrong pedaling for us, it could last a heck of a lot longer!”
A young occupier named Darius, who declined to give his last name, said he’s been living in Dewey Square since the beginning of the occupation.
The Boston native said, “All it took was a few extra tarps and duct tape to weatherize my tent.” Darius’ tent has tarps wrapped around each side – he called it a “clamshell” covering.
“We’ll be here as long as we need to be. Cold weather won’t stop us,” he said with a grin.
Laurie, who also declined to give her last name, is a newer addition to the Occupy Boston movement. The resident of Rochester, N.H. made her journey to Boston last week and said she came a “bit unprepared” in terms of spending cold nights outdoors.
Sporting a thick, vibrant red poncho, Laurie said she enjoys working in the Clothing Tent, which is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. The tent has men and women’s clothing available for all people in and outside of Tent City.
“A word of advice from this tent would be to wear lots of layers,” she said.
Laurie said she came down to Boston because she’s worried about her daughters’ futures.
“I’m not the typical occupier. I have a house, cars and a family who are living comfortably up in New Hampshire. I came here because my daughter said to me, ‘Your generation stinks. You ruined everything for us!’
“I came here with a sleeping bag, and a few other garments. The Occupy community really took me in and showed me how to live more comfortably here. As long as we prepare ourselves both physically and mentally, I’m sure we can fight through the winter!”
