News / United States
Occupy Protestors Are Back at It
By: Lauren Saccone
Occupy Wall Street protestors are starting off May with a worldwide protest they hope will renew interest in their movement. Occupy protestors called for a general strike on Tuesday, to mark International Workers Day and bring attention back to a movement that has been flagging. But rainy weather has bogged down the protests in New York City, putting a damper on what was meant to be a proud resurgence of the movement.
The Occupy protest has been going on for over eight months. Originally intended as a political protest against the corruption prevalent on Wall Street, the movement quickly expanded to cover all sorts of social and economic injustices across the world.
The protestors had no clear leader, adding to the sense of community and camaraderie among supporters. The downside, of course, was that the movement quickly splintered, and suffered from basic disorganization. The May Day protest was concocted partly to revive the movement and excite people to speak out once again.
“We are most definitely still here,” protestor David Intrator told reporters. “We are here for the long haul. We are the Energizer bunny of social movements.”
Occupy protestors had called for a general strike to ring in May, with supporters leaving work and home and "taking to the streets."
New York’s protests may not have been as dramatic as expected – with only a few hundred protestors convening in public parks – but other cities are experiencing more dramatic displays. In Athens, over 4,000 workers have walked out from their jobs and marched to protest the economic rife that has plagued Greece in recent years.
Occupy protesters remain focused in their cause, inclement weather notwithstanding. With more protests and activities scheduled throughout the day, activists are convinced that the public will once again support their efforts.
“We have to show the 1% what democracy looks like,” protestor Joycelyn Gill-Campbell told Reuters.
[Pic via Flickr - Aaron Bauer]