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Occupy protesters arrested at Paul, Dems HQ
A protestor affiliated with the Occupy Wall Street movement is arrested by members of the Des Moines police department for blocking an entrance to the Iowa Democratic Party headquarters on December 29, 2011 in Des Moines, Iowa. Thirteen people were arrested during the protest. / Photo by Andrew Burton/Getty Images
DES MOINES, Iowa - Police arrested more than a dozen Occupy protesters Thursday in Iowa who are targeting Democrats and Republicans just days before the state's closely watched lead-off presidential caucuses.
Five protesters were arrested outside the Iowa campaign headquarters of presidential contender Ron Paul in Ankeny before the group moved on to the Iowa Democratic Party headquarters in Des Moines, where 12 more were taken into custody. All were ticketed for trespassing and released.
The protests are part of an Occupy the Caucuses effort launched this week in Des Moines that has attracted activists from around the country. Many of them have promised to interrupt campaign activities, and organizers promised more confrontations on Friday with campaign offices of Republican presidential hopefuls.
Occupy the Caucuses spokeswoman Danielle Ryun, who was among those arrested at the state Democratic Party headquarters, said the goal is not to be arrested. But since campaign officials won't listen to them, protesters are willing to be arrested to get their message across, she said.
"It would be great if we could show up, issue our concerns and have the candidates acknowledge us and change their platform," she said.
Those arrested in Des Moines included a 14-year-old girl who was released to her father at the scene. On Thursday, seven protesters were arrested outside Republican Mitt Romney's Des Moines headquarters.
Iowa Democratic Party Executive Director Norm Sterzenbach said the protesters were given the opportunity to express their opinions and party officials listened to their concerns, but he said occupying the party offices was unacceptable.
"Not only does it interfere with the important work that our volunteers and staff do to engage Iowans in the political process, by physically blocking our staff from entering or exiting the building sets a very dangerous precedent," Sterzenbach said in a statement.
Protesters at Paul's campaign headquarters were protesting his proposal to dismantle the Environmental Protection Agency if elected.
Ryun said the Paul campaign headquarters were locked when protesters arrived. By locking their doors, campaigns "are signaling to us that they have become disengaged," Ryun said.
A telephone message left for a Paul campaign spokesman was not returned.
At the Iowa Democratic Party's offices, protesters targeted President Barack Obama, demanding that he put a stop to home foreclosures, turn down campaign donations from Wall Street, and end indefinite detentions of detainees at Guantanamo Bay.
"They're all going to get equal play on this," Ryun said. "We are very disillusioned with every candidate."
Eight protesters were arrested at the party's offices on Dec. 19.
Police in Des Moines and Ankeny said the protesters were given the option of leaving and told if they refused they would be arrested. Police said the arrests were peaceful and no force was used.
The Occupy movement began in New York and has spread across the country. Activists generally protest the growing gap between rich and poor and corporate influence over government.
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The goverment controlled Fannie Mae and Freddie Mae led the charge of those who pushed for loans and other activity that led to the Home Foreclosures.
Less Government, voter approved stipulations, term limits, legal blocks on Lobbyists and changes to Campaign funding all need to be started at the Polls. Until "We, The People of the United States," use our Constitutional Rights and quit with these Circus Acts, we are not going to get anywhere.
Which is why Wall Street is not worried. We protest and scream and holler, but history has proven that is not effective. They are trying to use Civil Rights models, but Civil Rights were not "fixed" by political decree. They are still lacking in areas, but for the most part, have largely been overcome by the application of time, and compassion from common citizens.
This type of theatrics will prove to draw up a sudo-savior, one that rallies behind the cries of the crowd.. people will invest all their emotions and trust in that person, then they will get in power and time will prove they were just using the collective spirit, using vague suggestions, just to get the position. Not fullfil that purpose.
Sound familiar?
CBS adds the last line at the end to get back on message: "The Occupy movement began in New York and has spread across the country. Activists generally protest the growing gap between rich and poor and corporate influence over government." Clearly not.
Make public the meeting and the concerns aired and acknowledged, publicly...address them, publicly..and then wait and see what the response is.
For example, let's say that, If 275 million Americans say the concerns are ridiculous...lets move on. But if, say 135 million Americans say; "YES, I'm also concerned about that! What are YOU going to do about it?" Then lets give these concerns, these American, taxpaying citizens, their due respect and recognize their relative block strength on the convention floors.
Wake up America