Occupy Wall Street Marks First Anniversary
Several hundred protesters swarmed Foley Square in New York City Monday morning to celebrate the one year anniversary of Occupy Wall Street. While some activists toted balloons and threw confetti up in the air, others organized sit-ins outside of the New York Stock Exchange.
Activists began gathering in Foley Square on Saturday to begin the three-day Occupy Wall Street commemoration. Over 120 protesters have been arrested, primarily for obstructing traffic.
In addition to numerous teach-ins and marches, protesters gathered to attend a concert hosted by former Dead Kennedys singer Jello Biafra. Tom Morello, a former guitarist for Rage Against the Machine, performed a five-track set of protest songs. Morello's performance included "We Are the 99%" and his version of Woody Guthrie's "This Land Is Your Land." Following the concert, dozens joined together to conduct a sidewalk march at Zuccotti Park.
On Sunday morning, the activists marched to the West Side of Manhattan to protest the construction of a gas pipeline. Several were arrested.
The Occupy Wall Street movement began on September 17, 2011, when the Canadian magazine, Adbusters, urged the public to set up peaceful barricades to occupy Wall Street. Protesters initially set up camp at Zuccotti Park, formerly known as Liberty Plaza Park, in Lower Manhattan. Within the next several weeks, over 100 Occupy movements spread through countries throughout the world, including Guatemala, Armenia and Japan. In the United States, over 600 Occupy camps were organized.
Occupy Los Angeles activists will gather at Pershing Square on Monday at 6 p.m. to coordinate the L.A. movement's anniversary on Oct. 1. Additional meetings will also take place Wednesday at 5 p.m. and Thursday at 7 p.m.
Occupy L.A. activities have dwindled since the Los Angeles Police Department arrested 292 protesters on Nov. 30.
The movement's supporters are hopeful that the commemoration events will reignite demonstrations.
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