by Paul Szewczyk ‘12

Two protesters perform at a peaceful rebellion for an Occupy Wall Street movement in Washington, D.C. Photo by Holly Cuozzo '12

A grassroots movement started by middle class citizens protesting against major corporations on Wall Street, the financial district of New York City, has turned into a worldwide phenomenon. The “Occupy Wall Street Movement” reached numbers surpassing 10,000 participants across the globe in the month of November. The sites of protest include Washington DC where hundreds of demonstrators have been occupying the area. The protestors have set up camp at McPherson Square.

The Occupy Wall Street official website states that the movement’s goal is to expose that the richest, most influential people on Wall Street are manipulating the economy and government in their favor while everyone else suffers. Having finally had enough of the lack of relevant reform, these young adults took their fight to the streets beginning on September 17.

The progenitors of the Occupy Movement are mostly people in there twenties, fresh out of college or just beginning their family life. These people feel that they should have had bright futures, but a variety of factors are holding them back: exorbitant student loans, huge mortgages and rampant unemployment, among other things. Thus, being unable to pay the bills, the original protesters felt cheated by the big banks that they allege made false promises in lending them money. These people have identified themselves as the “99 percent” who are controlled by the “one percent” that has been a major influence on the U.S. economy.

The first protest was simple. Approximately 1,000 people marched up and down Wall Street with signs declaring messages such as “We are the 99 percent.” A few days later, the media began covering the movement as commentators such as Keith Olbermann, Jon Stewart, Rush Limbaugh and others started capturing and broadcasting video of the events. Magazines began interviewing protesters. Even important political figures have visited Wall Street, including Mayor of New York Michael Bloomberg, as well as Republican representatives who have promised legislative reforms. President Obama also referred to the Occupy Wall Street Movement on October 16, saying that he and his cabinet are working for the 99 percent’s interest.

As news of “Occupy Wall Street” circulated, cities such as Rome, Los Angeles, Sydney, and Madrid became home to protestors. Occupy Wall Street has continued to gain momentum, attracting other groups such as workers’ unions and individuals from a disenfranchised middle class. However, as the numbers of protestors increases, conflict with the authorities is on the rise. On November 17, police began to clash with protesters in New York resulting in injuries to both parties.