page_title: Occupy Dataran
section_title: V for Merdeka Flash Mob Protest on New Year's Eve
hierarchical_section_title: Occupy Dataran / V for Merdeka Flash Mob Protest on New Year's Eve
caption_attribution_description: English: V for Merdeka flash mob protest organized by Occupy Dataran on New Year's Eve
context_page_description: Occupy Dataran was an autonomous grassroots movement based in Kuala Lumpur, that aims to create a platform to experiment participatory democracy based on the popular assembly model. The Malaysian Insider reported that Occupy Dataran was an offshoot of Occupy Wall Street. The online news portal also reported that the Malaysian protesters were expressing solidarity with the New York protest movement as part of the 15 October 2011 global protests. However, it is widely acknowledged that the first Occupy Dataran assembly was held on 30 July 2011, seven weeks before Occupy Wall Street.
  The movement says that it aims to "redefine democratic participation beyond representative democracy, and imagine a new political culture beyond race, ideology and political affiliation". Besides this, it is also for people to get together, hang out, organize activities & spend the night at Dataran Merdeka. Participants of Occupy Dataran gathered every Saturday from 8pm - 6am at Dataran Merdeka. Part of Occupy Dataran is the "KL People's Assembly" where participants gather to share ideas, address problems, explore alternatives, propose solutions and make decisions. It is also open to other activities.
context_section_description: On New Year's Eve, 200 people participated in a "V for Merdeka" flash mob protest at Dataran Merdeka organized by Occupy Dataran wearing the Guy Fawkes mask, a symbol of popular resistance that have appeared in many Occupy protests around the world. They were protesting against the Peaceful Assembly Bill, a piece of legislation enacted by the Malaysian government that bans street demonstrations and against the injustices that they saw happened in Malaysia throughout 2011.
caption: Protestors wear Guy Fawkes mask during the flash mob
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