Occupy Wall Street Protest Enters Second Week, Mass Arrests, Protests Planned in Other Cities

Cross-posted from Third Party Independent:

The Occupy Wall Street protest that began on September 17th in New York's financial district has entered its second week.  Yesterday, scores of demonstrators were arrested during a march from the group's encampment at Liberty Plaza to Union Square, and more arrived from around the city and across the country.  Similar protests and assemblies are apparently now  being planned in over thirty cities.

Thousands of protesters descended on lower Manhattan last Saturday in response to a call for occupation-style protests against the influence of money in politics on the model of Egypt and Spain.  Hundreds have camped in a nearby park every night since.  Their numbers swell into the thousands during the day.  More appear to be arriving from across the country on a regular basis.

An informal tally at the encampment on Saturday found that no less than twenty-six different states were represented at the site.  There are protesters and demonstrators from Maine to Florida, from New York to California and from Texas to Michigan. One man said he had come from Alaska.

They are a politically diverse group as well.  There are disillusioned Democrats, Ron Paul Republicans, Independents, Socialists, Libertarians, and anarchists, among others.  If there is one thing they all appear to agree upon, however, it is the sense that the Democratic and Republican parties no longer represent the interests of the people of the United States.

One of the first arrests on Saturday took place near the Chase Bank building up the street from the New York Stock Exchange.  As hundreds marched along the sidewalks of the financial district, one man walked out into the street, and fell down to his knees.  "That's the bank that took my mother's home," he said.  He then stated: "I will go to jail tonight because it's not right.  I will not just stand by and watch. I would rather die than be quiet and watch them lose everything."  He identified himself as, Robert Stevens, a law student from Washington D.C.  Told by police that he would be arrested if he didn't move, he put his hands behind his head.  He was then cuffed and hauled away.

Many more arrests followed over the course of the march, both individually and en masse, as it weaved from the sidewalks into the streets and through parks.

None of the assemblies, marches or actions that have taken place in the last week have been formally permitted.  No permits have been sought as would normally be the case for a large political demonstration or protest.  When queried about whether they have obtained permits, protesters point out that the freedom of peaceable assembly is guaranteed by the First Amendment of the Constitution and that permission from the government is not necessary.

Despite numerous incidents of excessive force by police in the face of civil disobedience during the march to Union Square, relations between protesters and police have been fairly good over the past week, though tense at times.

Critics of the Occupy Wall Street protest say that it is disorganized and does not have a clear message, among other things.  But such criticism may well be putting the cart before the horse.  Demonstrators hold general assembly meetings daily and have formed numerous working groups and committees to discuss principles and demands, plan events and actions, and organize provisions for the day-to-day necessities of the group.  All of this information is available on the assembly's website, NYCGA.

Similar protests are now being planned in over thirty cities across the country, according to an informal umbrella site, called Occupy Together, which has become a hub for the spontaneous network nationwide.