Protesters disrupt FCC as 3-2 vote scraps net neutrality
On the 15th of May, protesters banged bucket drums and bells outside the FCC while commissioners gathered to vote on "paid prioritization" of content. Ignoring the sound of people's anger from outside, and ejecting four activists who got into the hearing, they voted 3-2 to permit "paid prioritization" of content.
Downloadable video on archive.org in format most computers can playSame video in full HD 1080p resolution
Medea Benjamin was the last to be expelled, with Kevin Zeese, Mararet Flowers,and someone from Veterans for Peace detained by security and escorted out. There was a report by "Harris from the Post" that they were arrested, but other reports say they were detained and escorted out. The Huffington Post published this video from the action inside the FCC. It shows three actvists being detained and removed. Open it at your risk, it loads code from dozens of 3ed party servers, may depend on tracking software and does not open in ad/tracking blocking browsers: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/15/protesters-net-neutrality_n_5331395.html
On May 16 DC media Group published this video on Youtube:
I myself had to stand my ground on the sidewalk against a security guard who tried and failed to order me to move my loaded bike away from the building-on a PUBLIC sidewalk. I defied his demands and he walked away in defeat. After a week of people camping outside the FCC for net neutrality, May 15th was a day of confrontation as the FCC defied the will of the public and voted to do the will of their corporate masters at Comcast, Verizon, and Cox Cable. Effective immediately, expect Comcast, Verizon, and Cox Cable to cut deals with Netflix, Google, and Facebook to speed up their service while slowing down all websites that don't "pay to play" to get the bandwidth necessary to to do. Expect difficulty watching the videos I publish here as they are not on Youtube or Facebook. The FCC promises to require a minimum level of service to all website, but courts have already thrown out all such restrictions by the FCC so long as ISP's are classed as "information services" and not as common carriers. Therefore, Chairman Wheelersd's promises to the public ring hollow and empty. Protesters and other activists have sworn to continue the fight for reclassification of all Internet Service Providers as common carriers, the one and only way the courts have held the FCC can prevent things like paid prioritization and content discrimination.
Photo from inside the FCC hearing by "Harris from the Post" who reported this activist and two others arrested. Another report says they were detained and escorted out
