Occupy protestors kicked out of CPAC

Jumoke Balogun

WASHINGTON -- During Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney's much-anticipated speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), "Occupy" protestors conducted a silent protest that erupted into a chanting match between protestors and conservative conference attendees.

In an overflow room next door to the main ballroom broadcasting Romney's speech, about two dozen protestors stood in front of the monitors attempting to block the view, according to two conference attendees in the room.

Two college students from New Jersey, Matt Bowe and Kevin Spiley, gave Hotsheet the play-by-play.

"They weren't tall enough to block the screen, but it was still annoying," Spiley said.

The crowd started to yell at the protestors, who covered their mouths with tape and wore shirts that read, "If money is speech, poverty is silence." Bowe said people started to shout the protestors down by saying, "'You smell, get a job' -- you know, the usual stuff."

Hotsheet witnessed the protestors being escorted through the maze of conference rooms, down an escalator, through a hotel bar and out the side doors of the sprawling hotel.

By that time, the "Occupy" protestors had torn the tape off their mouths and loudly chanted, "We are the 99 percent." The group of protesters were college students from different parts of the nation who said Romney's policies would only benefit the nation's elites.

"Romney says 'I'm not concerned about the very poor,' and I'm here to say he should care, I'm one of them," said Joe Gallant, a recent graduate of George Mason University. "I'm working two jobs and still can't make it."

As the protesters were escorted out, conference participants shouted back, "We pay your rent," and moved into the hotel lobby and perimeter hotel bars chanting, "Get a job."

The Occupy movement has not received much attention at CPAC, but both radio host Laura Ingraham and commentator Ann Coulter made jokes about it.

Ingraham opened her speech with with a jab at the group. Referring to about 100 protestors outside the hotel hosting the conservative conference, she said, "You might not have seen them, but you smell them."

[noloyalisti]

First of all, the Bush Crime Family was responsible for the largest redistribution of wealth in the history of America. From the 99% to the Top 1%. The disastrous Tax Welfare for the rich demanded by the Crime Family has added $450-500 billion to the deficit in the last two years.

I can't imagine a better place for Occupy to occupy than the Criminal Politician And Corporation (CPAC) clown show.

[A_nony_mous]

I find it interesting that CBS isn't reporting on what happened afterwards. CPAC attendees and OWS protesters met outside the conference where the police were trying to antagonize the protesters by shoving them with riot shields. The attendees and protesters began calmly and peacefully speaking about the issues, and in many cases, coming to an agreement. Don't believe me? There is video on Ustream from Timcast that shows it.

For all the detractors to OWS on here, I'm sorry. I'm sorry that you have been brainwashed by the media. I'm sorry that you feel we like Obama over a Republican candidate - we don't. It's like asking what you want in the next president- Fascism or Theocracy. We want neither. We aren't paid by Soros, Obama, Ron Paul, or even the tooth fairy. We want jobs that will pay our bills, and houses that we can afford to live in. We want the corporate criminals held accountable (including Obama's Goldman Sachs job corps) and corporate money out of politics.

Is that so bad?

[standing_stone]

Of course it's not bad, unfortunately some people are oblivious to the reality - that huge corporations have a huge influence in politics and that the financial elite have gambled with our money - and some of us want justice for the poor, yet hardworking majority.

[raymailhot]

OWS has their little spectacles and no one is interested. So they invade others right to free speech to get the free media attention the liberals so dearly need!

[jdaryyl]

Without throwing out the ad-hominem, does anyone else here find it to be angering that Ron Paul does not, and has not had any coverage from CBSNews even though he has a very good chance of winning Maine? Also, he his campaign is getting obligations for delegates? He is not going anywhere, are they ever going to cover him?

Like I said, please talk grown-up like if you can without the baseless ad-hominem attacks. Thanks!

[bshapiro67]

"Protestors" in the headline is spelled wrong.

[bshapiro67]

"Protestors" in the headline is spelled wrong.

[raymailhot]

OWS doesn't represent conservatives and justly so they were not invited. I am not sure what their problem is and why they thought they should interrupt the conservatives right to free speech..

[timchi1956]

Were they paid by the demo's too or was it the unions that paid them to make pick eye of themselves? Sad these college kids would sell out for a few bobbles if true. I guess college does not teach integrity.

[raymailhot]

You don't have to guess at whether college teaches integrity. They don't! Families and churches do.

[standing_stone]

Why does someone have to be paid to stand up against injustice? Unfortunately some people in this world won't do anything unless they are paid to do it and presume that that is the case for everyone else to. Time for a reality check, timchi1956, open your eyes and look around you.

[larrylinn1]

It is sad that the GOP hopefuls are pitching to conservative activists rather than all of the voters in the United States.

[js2212]

by JackLeanII February 10, 2012 5:14 PM EST
Obviously freedom of speech and right to dissent are lost on conservatives,
___________________________________________________________________

Obviously you're an idiot who can't learn the rights we enjoy in this country and what their limitations are. It has nothing to do with whether someone is conservative or not.

[politicalcomments]

wouldn't have to if Obama wasn't the best divider in chief we've ever had.