Protestors to Occupy Rose Parade
Occupy Wall Street protestors are planning to occupy the Rose Parade in hopes to use the nationally broadcasted programming to spread their message.
Peter Thottam, an Occupy L.A. organizer who has launched the website promoting the demonstration is orchestrating the movement.
"The system being a political media and economic system that has become the tool of the banks and behind the banks the 1 percent of this country that now owns 43 percent of the national wealth," said Thottam.
According to his Web site, the large banners are expected to express the group's feelings against New York and European bankers who they say receive excessive salaries at the cost of taxpayer bailouts.
The demonstrators also plan to form a "human float" that would march down the rose parade path. Although the website notes they do not plan to "obstruct the path of the rose parade".
Thottam calls the Rose Parade a "militarized, corporatized event" and one of the few public spaces where people can express their fustrations.
"Now its [the Rose Parade] for the Pentagon and for Wall Street.You have a record number of floats this year that are banking floats," said Thottam.
Even though the Rose Parade will have to accommodate more guests, the Pasadena Police Department assures the public the event will remain safe.
"As the primary agency responsible for safety, the Pasadena Police Department is well equipped to handle emergencies and unusual occurrences," a statement from the police department said. "The vast majority of people who attend this event have little contact with the police, in part because of the mutual respect among those attendng the parade."
Some workers say they're not worried about their safety.
"It should be a safe environment down there at the Rose Bowl this year. I understand about the protesters but everything should go smoothly," Aaron Hampton, Rose Bowl Construction Worker said.
Nearby business owner Blaze Allencastre agrees.
"It will probably be a peaceful protest as far as I'm concerned."
The Tournament of Roses Parade, which will take place on Monday Jan. 2 from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. in Pasedena, is watched by hundreds of thousands of spectators and broadcasted across the country.
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