Wall Street protests grow after unions' endorsement
By Jason Kessler and Michael Martinez
October 5, 2011
New York (CNN) -- Wall Street protests swelled Wednesday to their largest numbers yet, after local unions pledged support to a third week of demonstrations against income inequality, corporate greed, corruption and a list of other social ills.
While the fledgling movement has struggled in its definition, demonstrators appear steadfast in their general criticism of the country's wealthiest 1% and its purported influence. Some carried placards and shouted slogans denouncing corporate excess, while others said they were "fed up" with high unemployment and a lack of economic opportunity. Still others said they had simply been waiting for a moment to express their voice and kick-start a conversation about inequality.
The group seemed to gain momentum after a September 24 pepper spray incident involving protestors and New York police officers.
Meanwhile, social media sites such as Twitter seem to be spurring similar protests in other cities, though in vastly smaller numbers. Dozens gathered in Boston; Hartford, Connecticut; and Seattle, while demonstrations were also scheduled later Wednesday in Savannah, Georgia, among other cities. Demonstrations were also expected to take place in Washington, D.C., and Tampa, Florida, on Thursday.
Occupy Wall Street is a leaderless movement made up largely of twenty-somethings upset about the economy, the Afghanistan war, the environment, and the state of America and the world in general. In less than three weeks, the movement has become a magnet for countless disaffected Americans at a time when an overwhelming majority of U.S. adults say the country is on the wrong track.
