Occupy Toronto "Mic Check Flash Mobs"

" This afternoon at 3pm, Occupy Toronto plans to do another "Mic Check! Flash Mob" - this time at Toronto's Union Station - a conversation with Holiday Travelers. 
Go and watch - or, Join the Chorus!
http://occupyto.org/calendar/event/mic-check-2/  "

On Saturday December 17th 2011 Occupy Toronto members gathered inside Toronto's Eaton Centre at the Queen Street West South Entrance Pavilion and held a "Mic Check! Flash Mob".

'What's that?' One may ask. Until you've seen one, it's hard to explain...

On Saturday a group of 13 activists meet at a pre determined location and gathered in a circle. At an appointed time one person spoke loudly, 'Mic Check!' Everyone in the circle called back 'Mic Check!'.

This is how an individual at a Occupy General Assembly indicates to a meeting that they wish to speak to the meeting. Now, at the Eaton Centre Flash Mob, the person who yelled 'Mic Check!' begins to say what they wanted to say - in short phrases that are sentence fragments, melodic in nature, and that are like lines of a poem or a song - easy to remember.

Essentially the group begins to talk to shoppers.

Oddly, as soon as a group of people start talking in unison everyone in the Shopping Complex stops what they are doing and looks - it's a production, a play, and event, a TV show. People want to know what's going on!

Occupy activist "R" reports on what happened:

Hi Everyone,

This Saturday, a group of us (there were about 12) met up at Nathan
Phillip Square and mic checked the Eaton Center with our holiday
wishlist - for more say in the decisions that affect us, for our
government to stop the tar sands, for everyone listening to take this
conversations back to their homes. It went over incredibly well - over
200 people stopped to listen, and over 20 security guards came out
(although we managed to stay for about 8 minutes after they came). We
were so excited about how well it went and started to do it all over -
the bay, the foodcourt in the AMC building, the subway, the Bay
Atrium, Forver 21, Adidas, and Canadian Tire - each time we got better
and better, and each time people listened with an open heart! Hitting
eight locations, I think at least 800 people heard our messages, and
to think of all the stories they'll tell! We brought out 10 police, 2
undercover police, and at least 25 security guards....really shows you
the power of our conversation. Not only was it a successful outreach
tool, but we all had a lot of fun doing it as well, each time one of
us say...."ok, just one more"!

....so we're going to do it again!

To change it up a little (we don't want to anger the Eaton Centre
Security Guards too much), we're going to flash Union Station with our
voices.
Tuesday, December 20th 3:30pm - meet at the big clock inside Union
Station. We'll decide specific locations once we are there.
- Dress in Costume! (please no scary costumes).

Once again the intro is (and I'll print off some copies again, maybe
we can hand them out to bystanders with instructions on how to join
in):
Attention Travellers!
I am from Occupy Toronto
I have decided
 That this year
Instead of gifts filled with things, and stuff
I am going to occupy MY holiday season
With love
With the company of friends and family
And with meaningful conversation
I will take this opportunity of togetherness
To talk about the changes our world needs
Change is simple
It's as simple as a wishlist

Then we mic check one another's individual wishes!

Please spread this around,
It will be A LOT of fun!!!
Peace,
R

Interestingly, everyone listens!

Listen to a conversation about the Occupy between Mic Checkers Roxy and Greg at:

"A Collection of Conversations" 
Occupy Holiday Season and Other Stories of Outreach

This afternoon at 3pm, Occupy Toronto plans to do another "Mic Check! Flash Mob" - this time at Toronto's Union Station - a conversation with Holiday Travelers.

Go and watch - or, Join the Chorus!
http://occupyto.org/calendar/event/mic-check-2/


Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, Everyone.


mh