SECURITY RUNAROUND!
by Schuyler Kempton & Cameron Ohl
The rally was organized as one of 33 events worldwide marking the International Day of Action to End Deathtraps, organized by United Students Against Sweatshops and the Gap Deathtraps campaign.
Our action, which took place outside of the mall's main entrance-way, was attended by all of three people at first, Schuyler Kempton and his mother's friends Eric and Suzanne White. Nevertheless, two security officials approached us no later than 5 minutes into the gathering. The first official asked us what the rally was about, and was informed (or perhaps reminded) of our intention to protest Gap over workers' safety in Bangladesh. He said (sincerely, we think) that he supported our cause but told us nevertheless to get off mall property with our signs and leaflets (because the mall manager didn't like it), warning that if we stayed on property we would run into people who were not as nice as he.
We were then served notices about the rules of conduct in malls owned by Pyramid Management Group, the parent company of the Galleria. At this time, with Dutchess County Legislator Joel Tyner and Schuyler's parents also in tow (rendering us six strong) we decamped to the side of the road by Route 9 to wave our signs.
On Route 9, we were pleased to be free of security harassment, swelling to ten in number with the arrival of Democratic Dutchess County Legislature hopeful Charlie Davenport, former Poughkeepsie Journal reporter Larry Hertz, my mother's friend Michael, and the HV Radical's own Cameron Ohl. Schuyler's father, by no means a self-proclaimed activist, even distributed fliers to those sitting in their cars at the nearby stop sign.
Following the rally, seven activists remained in an attempt to drop off letters of protest to the managers of the Galleria's Banana Republic and Old Navy stores. That was not so easy.
To begin with, two security cars had placed themselves on opposite sides of where we had parked to walk down to Route 9. They didn't bother us, but served well for the purposes of intimidation. Then, as we attempted to enter the mall itself, one official stopped us to ask what our next move would be. Schuyler informed them that we simply intended to speak with store managers: No signs, no soliciting. That was enough to get us off the hook.
As we went to the Old Navy store, several mall cops were around, although they were also likely there to monitor a long line of customers waiting to buy $1 flip-flops, which went on sale today (max. 5 apiece, folks).
The flip-floppers were being tended to by the store manager, so we were only able to drop of the letter without comment. The 7 agitators moved on.
At Banana Republic, there were no excess customers in the store, although there were at least two security officials outside of it. Inside, Schuyler asked for the manager, while Joel reviewed the store's cologne collection (so as to feign interest in the merchandise, he explained).
For no obvious reason except to avoid a conversation about Gap, Inc.'s labor practices, the manager claimed she was busy and couldn't speak with us. While we had previously enjoyed a lengthy, if at times tense, conversation with the manager of the Galleria's Gap store, she had no idea we would walk in, while it was clear that her counterpart at Banana Republic was expecting us. As we exited the store, a security official spoke into her walkie-talkie: "They've left Banana Republic."
If nothing else, today should show us that the fundamental reaction of corporate power to grassroots protest is fear. Not amusement or even anger. Fear.
It was fear that made the manager of the Poughkeepsie Galleria prevent us from holding our signs and handing out fliers. It was fear that made the Galleria send in security officials to track and harass us. And it was fear that made managers of stores owned by Gap, Inc. quick to show us the door.
Fear for profits? Perhaps. Fear for their jobs? Likely. But, and I do sincerely believe this, also a fear that their accepted view of the world and their internalized ideas of what is acceptable and what is unacceptable, what is right and what is wrong, might get thrown irreparably out of whack.
A fear that perhaps what is fed to all of us as natural and right on a daily basis is in fact profoundly unnatural and completely wrong.
We 10 scraggly protesters represented a threat to the established economic and ideological order. And while the only reaction from the powers that be is to act out of fear, we have the unique ability to act out of a powerful sense of solidarity. That's what brought us out to defend the rights of workers in Bangladesh today, and that is what we have to cling to when times get rough.
Photo: Daniel Kempton (a.k.a. Pop)
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