Thousands took to New York City's Times Square in a massive display against corporatism and greed in the culmination of a global day of “Occupied” protests that saw people in 951 cities in 82 countries take to streets. Yet, the day was soured again by police intervention. Some 100 people had been arrested by 9 PM New York time after police entered Times Square and forced the protesters to leave the square. On Twitter, a popular tweet spread across global activists, which read “It's okay to fill Times Square to watch a ball drop on New Year's Eve, but not to peacefully protest?” The mood of optimism and activism quickly turned to anger against the New York Police Department (NYPD) as more and more citizens were handcuffed and driven away. “It just doesn't make any sense. It's Saturday night and there is no need to force us away,” said Donald, a 25-year-old graduate student in the city. He told Bikyamasr.com via telephone that “the protesters arrived, were cordial, even to those that came around to see what was happening and it was nothing dangerous.” Earlier in the day, the Occupy Wall Street demonstrators had marched north through Manhattan from Washington Square Park. The mood was markedly anti-banks and chanted throughout the day against the financial sector of America's economic system, which protesters have long blamed for the current economic downturn globally. “We live in a time where so little people have so much of the wealth,” said another protester, “and it is heading toward another major depression if we don't succeed.” Across the United States average Americans took to squares and streets in dozens of cities, demanding an end to greed and calling for greater social justice. Saturday, the Occupy Wall Street movement truly went global, but were somewhat tarnished by a small group of angry protesters in Rome who ransacked the city before clashing with police. It was the culmination of a movement, based partially on the Arab Spring that has already seen three dictators fall to grassroots movements. Kalle Lasn, co-founder of the venerable counterculture magazine AdBusters, took to the micro-blogging website Twitter and other websites to help organize a campaign encouraging tens of thousands of Americans to have a nonviolent sit-in in lower Manhattan. The rally, dubbed #OccupyWallStreet on social networks, aims to tackle what protesters call “outrageous” greed on Wall Street, “which is hurting the American and global economy.” They argue that this greed led to the destruction of the American economy and spurred the global recession. Last week, there were reports of police interference and a few scuffles were reported on social networks, but by and large, the major networks have not reported on the protesters and their goals. Anger and resentment at American media outlets has been growing, with one protester telling Bikyamasr.com that he was “shocked and appalled that CNN and others have given us so little time. Are we not a story? Are our demands not for America? I don't get it.” New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg characterized Wall Street protesters as misguided, saying their demonstrations are targeting working class people whose jobs are tied to the financial sector, not the rich. “The protesters are protesting against people who make $40,000 to $50,000 a year who are struggling to make ends meet. That's the bottom line,” Bloomberg said on his WOR 710 radio show earlier this month. Protester Donald disagreed, calling Bloomberg “delusional” if he “honestly believes this is not about the 99 percent that have nothing and are left out of the process and face the consequences daily.” BM
