"Crazed" homeless man starts rampage at "Occupy Wall Street" protest in Zuccotti Park

By: Crimesider Staff
Topics: Daily Blotter

Zuccotti Park, home to Occupy Wall Street protesters in New York City

(Credit: AP Photo/Richard Drew)

(CBS) - A "crazed" homeless man who has been living among the Occupy Wall Street protesters in New York City's Zuccotti Park went on a violent rampage Thursday, flailing, kicking tents, and yelling incoherently, according to a published report.

The New York Post reports that as he kicked tents filled with sleeping protesters, Jeremy Clinch shouted, "I've been here from day one! I haven't got a tent!"

He stumbled about in a deranged manner, the newspaper says, screaming, "I've been here for three months, and I haven't been able to sleep!"

What finally stopped Clinch's rampage was protester Recai "Rocky" Iskender, 48, of New Jersey. After Clinch kicked his tent, Iskender came out, angrily hurled a plastic jug at him, and then knocked him to the ground with a punch to the face, the Post reports.

Iskender claims to be an ex-Turkish diplomat, and after the fight, he went on a tirade and told The Post that Clinch is "a Bloomberg agent, disturbing and disrupting the protest." He claimed that Bloomberg is in control of everything that happens in the park.

"This is Bloomberg," he said, pointing at cops. "[The] Bloomberg police machine. [The] police state finds those guys to infiltrate, to disrupt it. That's what Bloomberg wants."

Occupy Wall Street medical volunteer Eric Carter was the one to help Clinch up and lead him away. He told the newspaper fights like this are not uncommon.

Meanwhile, protester Chris Guerra said he's seen Clinch around the park before. "He's been here since the beginning," he said. "I think he's bipolar. Sometimes he's happy, other times he's angry. It was a crazy guy trying to wake everyone up. But he woke up the wrong bear this morning. He's not all there."

Other protesters describe him as "mentally ill" and "off his meds," according to The Post.

2 Comments +

Add a Comment


by Harden_Tar November 4, 2011 2:46 PM EDT: The guy that punched the crazy dude out sounds just as crazy. Nice bunch you have there.; Reply to this comment


by Hala_c November 4, 2011 12:54 PM EDT: The OWS protestors need to push the trouble makers out of the protest.

If you see someone throw a bottle and you have it on video, turn the recording over to the cops. That way any Bloomberg or GOP plants in the crowd (or even individuals with a grudge against OWS) will be PREVENTED from turning peaceful protests into violent chaos.

Expel the trouble makers and you will expose those that are working to disrupt the protests.; Reply to this comment