Wall Street protests continue, several arrested

People protesting the economic system walk down a sidewalk in the financial district as office workers head to work on September 19, 2011 in New York City. Organizers said the protests, which began Saturday, could last for weeks. / Michael Nagle/Getty Images

NEW YORK - At least five people were arrested on the third day of protests in New York's Financial District, spearheaded by a coalition of groups rallying against the influence of corporate money in politics.

Beginning on Saturday - on what was called a U.S. Day of Rage - several groups of activists vowed to occupy Wall Street, to express their anger over a financial system they say favors the rich and powerful, and about a democratic process they deem to be corrupt.

Organizers of the "Occupy Wall Street" demonstration have called for 20,000 people to "flood into lower Manhattan, set up tents, kitchens, peaceful barricades and occupy Wall Street for a few months."

Channeling the occupation of Cairo's Tahrir Square by Egyptians protesting the rule of Hosni Mubarak, protesters have camped out in lower Manhattan over the weekend, seeking to occupy the center of the financial world. They hope to attract many more.

Protest organizers seek to persuade President Barack Obama to establish a commission that would end "the influence money has over representatives in Washington." Their website is occupywallst.org.

Protesters in N.Y.C. blast money in politics

90 Photos

Wall Street protests spread

The demonstration's staging area in nearby Zuccotti Park (re-named Liberty Plaza) houses tents and cardboard used by those camping out.

WCBS Radio correspondent Alex Silverman reports that on Monday a couple of hundred people marched behind police barricades up and down both sides of Wall Street - clogging the sidewalks as financial firm employees tried to get to work.

One of the demonstrators, Robert Siegel, said that eight years working as a consultant for an investment bank was enough to turn him into a protester.

"I just shuffled other people's money around and took a cut. Nothing was being contributed. A lot was just being taken out," he told Silverman. "[I] watched the silliness compound on itself. At some point, I wanted a lifestyle that didn't consist of going up to computers to deal with angry people."

Four men and one woman were taken into custody Monday morning for disorderly conduct.

According to The New York Times, New York City Police confirmed that arrests were made under provisions which make it illegal for two or more individuals to wear masks.

Another woman was arrested as she wrote on the sidewalk in chalk.

[Griggah]

Watch this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moD2JnGTToA

Why are the police preventing peaceful protesting? How can this be seen as different than the police states present in communist Russia or Maoist China? If the government can instruct its police officers to suppress dissent through violence, then it is no different. Suppression of dissent through police-state-esque violence is all the more reason to continue protests.

[bosrocker51]

You know, with a little crazy glue those Wall Street thugs who destroyed our economy won't be able to get to their computers...

[bosrocker51]

I am shocked that somebody would promote gluing shut doors to office buildings. In Boston, years ago we used quick set epoxy on the Bank of Boston building to protest their apartheid banking. Ah, memories...

[longtree-2009]

protests, mild ones like this one, don't change a thing. throughout history, it has taken violent and massive protests, including civil war and revolution, to bring about change. consider the libyian protest that turned into a violent civil war.

[bosrocker51]

I was with the Coalition for Direct Action at Seabrook, NH in the late 1970's. We protested nuclear power in a profound way. Seabrook was the last nuclear power plant built in the USA. With the meltdown of the Japanese nukes post-earthquake, do you think we should build more? Protesting works, and if the whole country stood together against the wealthy who want to keep us as slaves, you would see the changes that could preserve democracy in the USA.

[wtcmedic911]

Pukes need to get a job like the rest of us. Look at them in the photo.... Looks more like mobilized street people.

[jimbom121]

No, No, No. They are protesting the wrong people. They should be protesting in front of every school, police station, and fire station.

Everyone knows that Wall St did not have anything to do with the economic meltdown. It was all caused by teachers, policemen & women and firemen.

[Jaylah54]

I, for one, will not be at all surprised if blood is shed before this is all over.

The protests in Egypt and other nations in that region turned bloody, and I don't think anybody in our government is going to take this at all seriously until this protest reaches the same proportions, and other nations start imposing sanctions against Washington for killing Americans.

""The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots..." Thomas Jefferson.

Sadly, I think it's equally true that the average American is so fed up with "our leaders" that there will be those willing to pay that ultimate price.

[Smokey75]

I wonder where these protesters think Obama is going to get the billion dollars he plans to spend on his reelection. Or the 500 million he spent in 2008 to get elected the first time.

I guess the uneducated fools believe he raised that much through 5 and 10 dollar donations! It is just amazing liberals are against buying elections unless it is a democrat who is trying to buy it.

[Jaylah54]

Smokey, "liberals" are against ANYBODY trying to buy an election. That's why these people are protesting.

You know what the big difference between them and you is? They have the courage of their convictions. You're willing to just sit around on an internet comment page, calling people names.

[nfission]

I'm a socialist too, I would like to see change in our current system. I know that the banks and Wall Street are evil and that the unregulated exchange of money makes the avarice money handlers very dangerous to the American people. We need balance not more greedy rich people who don't give a rip about humanity.

[venusvegasvada]

Good for them. I'm with commenter777. Enough is enough.

[rjstolb]

LORD, I wish I could be there with them. The WS Hypocites and greedmerchants need to see that people are angry ans aren't going to take it much longer!!!!!