The “Crossroads of the World” were jammed when thousands of Occupy Wall Street protesters brought their party to Times Square, creating pandemonium as chanting masses collided with tourists and theatergoers and resulting in over 40 arrests.
Shouting, “This is what democracy looks like,” throngs of protesters energized by yesterday’s victory in the face of possible eviction from their Zuccotti Park shantytown formed inside metal police barricades.
Police, some in riot gear and mounted on horses, tried to push them out of the square and onto the sidewalks in an attempt to funnel the crowds away.
Sandy Peterson of Salt Lake City, who was in Times Square after seeing “The Book of Mormon” musical on Broadway, got caught up in the disorder.
“We’re getting out of here before this gets ugly,” she said.
Sandra Fox, 69, of Baton Rouge, La., stood, confused, on 46th Street with a ticket for “Anything Goes” in her hand as riot police pushed a knot of about 200 shouting protesters toward her.
“I think it’s horrible what they’re doing,” she said of the protesters. “These people need to go get jobs.”
Police arrested 42 protesters at Times Square, but cops appeared eager to avoid a confrontation.
One group of police officers massed on a side street that had been blocked by protesters entering Times Square — some on motorcycles and others on foot armed with batons and plastic handcuffs. But just as the officers began to force their way into the crowd, a group of senior officers arrived and appeared to tell the cops to fall back. The police retreated and allowed protesters on the sidewalks to fill another portion of the street.
Protesters chanted “police are the 99%” and “this is a nonviolent protest” during the near-confrontation.
Earlier, 24 protesters were arrested when a mob stormed a LaGuardia Place Citibank and shouted slogans as two demonstrators closed their bank accounts in protest just after 2 p.m.
“[The protesters] all went in a big flash mob to close their accounts,” said Adrielle Slaugh,a 24-year-old office manager who saw the clash. “There were about 30 of them. They were screaming and chanting while they were going in. Security told them to leave, but they didn’t. They stood in a group chanting things to the tellers. There were locked in, and then they were taken away.”
Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/occupy_protesters_spruce_times_for_KzE86bX48IqS41Z8xlTfVK#ixzz1auWuwLtC
Sorry, but this is not democracy. This is incitement, revolutionary activity, and subversion. Protesting against “greed” or against the “system” is indeed just a step short of fomenting revolution.
At this point, its only a matter of waiting until they cross a significant line, and at that point they will be violently repressed.
exactly what is wanted huggie.
This is the beginning of a massive revolution around the world. Yes, these people are nutcases, but they aren’t going to back down this time. They currently have no leader and no platform. Leaders and platforms will come out of this, eventually.
What I can’t wait for is when corporations start firing people for taking part in these demonstrations.
LOL. “Corporations” especially the big ones, are the biggest cowards in the world.
I could rather see them giving out awards to their employees who participated.
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they’ll have a leader,i’ll give ya two guesses,van jones,or,lets see,how bout long time friend and mentor,bill ayers. these sheeple were cultivated by this administration,when he got on this”stay in touch,via twitter” bullshit when he got elected remember. he and his buddies,cultivated enough idiots,”useful” kind,by hooking up with their computers and cell phones,kinda like buying and selling mailing lists. this will become his,”acorn” army,they will become violent when told to do so. i’ve seen subversion before,where useful idiots are brought together by some ploy, and then chaos ,and violence. just think 1968 chicago. this too will happen. obama is a facist,and there will be boots on the streets,just a matter of time. because thats what he wants.his zombies are focusing on wall street, because he knows wall street doesnt want him. this dude will do anything to get reelected. even if it means protesting and violence,to scare the money into reelecting him.and if he werent losing,there wouldnt be zombies on wall street.
Makes you miss Rudy…
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this is just the beginning. humans are a herd animal. its not about right or wrong. it is simple math. do they out number you even after factoring in guns and ammo? if they do you lose. hilarious that a few trustfund fuckers have lit up a scene. cant wait for the ghetto to get invovled. all of you authoritarian asshats will swallow your pride and flee like any sane human would. for now. act like it isnt happening.
this isnt the 60’s. this fucktarded movement is young and large in numbers. disorganized for now. it wont be forever. houston you have a problem. that you dont even see.
the prisons are full. the states are broke. cops are being fired all over. too laugh and dismiss these idiots is easy. but times have changed.
“[The protesters] all went in a big flash mob to close their accounts,” said Adrielle Slaugh,a 24-year-old office manager who saw the clash. “There were about 30 of them. They were screaming and chanting while they were going in. Security told them to leave, but they didn’t. They stood in a group chanting things to the tellers. There were locked in, and then they were taken away.”
The situation was soon contained when 10 of the protesters were informed they owed overdraft charges, 8 protesters tried to order vegan pizzas, 4 just wanted to use the bathroom, the final 2 were allowed to peacefully close their accounts.
Ha ha! Too treu…
There are more people eagerly awaiting thier iphone 4S than participating in this nonsense.
I think this time is different. It is a bunch of people that at the end of the day actually have something to lose. They are out their tweeting from their iphones and a lot of them can go home to their parents basement or 1 bedroom condos after this is all over. Most revolutions work because the people literally have nothing to lose. That was a criticism of the recent protests in Iran as opposed to the ones of the previous generation. These were people that at the end of the day weren’t willing to die in the streets for what they believed in, they were only willing to tweet photos of what was going on. And if that’s all they are willing to do, then eventually it will just fade away with a whimper not a bang.
So what you are saying is wait another one or two years?
If one or two years is going to make them stop caring about documenting the event and actually doing something, then maybe. I don’t think they have it in them, unless someone can shift their focus to the government and away from things they don’t understand. I get that they are mad, but being mad at rich people isn’t going to get them anywhere.
Right now I just see videos full of people that are filming other people filming with their iphones.
Oh no, you misunderstand, I mean in one to two years (may be an exaggeration, perhaps 5) enough people will have nothing left to lose.
Oh I heard you loud and clear. But I trust in nothing more than the youth of today’s ability to continue our consumer culture. We haven’t quite reached the point of Japanese girls prostituting themselves in order to afford designer hand bags, but I’m sure it’s coming. They may end up bankrupt and homeless, but they’ll still find a way to convince someone to give them a low introductory rate credit card so they can line up for a new iphone. And once said phone is in hand, they will continue to take videos of other people video taping the protest.
@leftcoast “dont trust todays youth” you shouldnt. they dont like old people. give them time. they will learn too despise. and you have obviously never been to “the valley”. the young whore out like champions. why not?
This aint over by long shot you corporate toolz
No joke, not at least until the unemployment rate drops significantly (maybe next year). Hope you guys got your winter clothes packed.
Can’t you protestors spend your time more efficiently, like learning a new skill or trade so you’ll have no problem getting hired once the economy picks again?
Funny, how you think that 20% unemployment is the fault of the unemployed, rather than the fault of a system that’s dysfunctional and corrupt. They can–but they can also spend time fighting to fix a broken system, and you should be thanking them.
No, you’re putting words in my mouth, about blaming the unemployed.
Their fighting-style isn’t very effective, whether non-violent or not, just serving more to annoy common people than make change happen. If they want to fix the system they need to start their own political party and start convincing people to join their cause to elect officials who see things the same way.
However, once the unemployment rate goes down then fewer people will have any incentive to join their cause.
Ironically the more the OWS people protest rather than train up or try to find work, they will indirectly contribute to keeping the unemployment rate high, leaving fewer people in the labor pool when companies want to start hiring again.
Then you have the liberal organizations providing logistics and supplies to keep the protestors in the field as long as possible.
Rage on, man, about whatever.
It really pisses me off that people think that those who undertake “unpaid” worker are just slackers. Unfortunately, that’s what this system has come to. Teachers get paid crap for educating your young. Should they retrain themselves to be hedge fund managers? Can a society exist without teachers?
odd, i didnt see any of this times sq was peaceful and touristy