Asheville Argus:  The Public Space

PACK SQUARE—The Occupiers have gathered at the Vance Monument. Perhaps two dozen total, their main body has convened with the statues of pigs and turkeys, and they’ve sent two or three people to each street corner to keep the chants going.

“Show me what democracy looks like!” shouts a young lady in front of the BB&T building. The larger group responds: “THIS IS WHAT DEMOCRACY LOOKS LIKE!”

Tourists seem mostly bemused. As the light fades, approaching the square becomes an exercise in caution for drivers trying to anticipate just how rowdy the crowd will get.  A man with a large sign leans into traffic, shouting, “Banks got bailed out, we got sold out!”









At the other end of the park, a praise-and-worship concert is cranking up. It’s likely one of the events City Council cited when denying the Occupy Asheville movement permission to camp in Pack Square Park. Between the Vance Monument and the courthouse, the sounds of the two rallies mix in the air.  Church-going folk quietly watch the band, though occasionally hands are raised in testimony, silhouetted against the stage lighting.

Amid all the noise, in the long stretch of the public space, people move off by themselves, alone or in couples, to seek some space of their own. 



I make my way back to the Monument, but the Occupiers are gone. There’s no way to tell if their protest was busted up by the cops or if they disappeared of their own accord, back to wherever it is they go. In any event, the balance of noise is upset, and Pack Square seems strangely empty. 

But, of course, it isn’t. Traffic chokes the street, tourists crowd into restaurants, and a group of teenagers hangs near the concrete benches by the Merrill Lynch building. One of them has a protest sign and is slamming it against the ground. I ask if he’s one of the protesters, and the group laughs. “No,” he says, indicating the sign. “A girl just gave it to me.”

I tell him that if he’s going to destroy it, he should at least let me get pictures. He’s very eager to oblige. From the corner of my eye, I can see a policeman approaching. The kid smashes the sign to bits against the bench. I shoot the photos, make my exit. 

From across the street, among the tourists posing with the metal pigs and turkeys in the last of the light, I see the cop approach the kids. A few words are exchanged politely, and the cop looks down at the obliterated sign. After a moment he walks away.

 

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

3 thoughts on “Asheville Argus:  The Public Space

  1. bobdurivage

    That’s one small smash against man, one giant karma payback against the smasher.

  2. boatrocker

    Oh Hell yeah with the Sam Adams quote. If only every political reform party were that well read.

  3. Nate Redfield

    It’s strange how riots and things like this happen, It makes me wonder if people even notice just how often it happens. would be amazing if they did.

Leave a Reply

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.