Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Protesters on the Brooklyn Bridge yesterday AP Photo/Will Stevens

More than 700 protesters arrested in Brooklyn Bridge showdown

Marchers from the Occupy Wall Street movement clashed with New York cops yesterday as protests spread across the US.

MORE THAN 700 protesters demonstrating against corporate greed, global warming and social inequality were arrested in New York yesterday after they swarmed the Brooklyn Bridge.

The group Occupy Wall Street has been camped out in a plaza in Manhattan’s Financial District for nearly two weeks staging various marches, and had orchestrated an impromptu trek to Brooklyn on Saturday afternoon. They walked in thick rows on the sidewalk up to the bridge, where some demonstrators spilled onto the roadway after being told to stay on the pedestrian pathway, and shut down a lane of traffic for several hours in a tense confrontation with police.

The majority of those arrested were given citations for disorderly conduct and were released, police said.

Some protesters sat on the roadway, chanting “Let us go,” while others chanted and yelled at police from the pedestrian walkaway above. Police used orange netting to stop the group from going farther down the bridge, which is under construction.

Erin Larkins, a Columbia University graduate student at who says she and her boyfriend have significant student loan debt, was among the thousands of protesters on the bridge. She said a friend persuaded her to join the march and she’s glad she did.

‘No one is expecting immediate change’

“I don’t think we’re asking for much, just to wake up every morning not worrying whether we can pay the rent, or whether our next meal will be rice and beans again,” Larkins wrote in an email to The Associated Press. “No one is expecting immediate change. I think everyone is just hopeful that people will wake up a bit and realize that the more we speak up, the more the people that do have the authority to make changes in this world listen.”

Several videos taken of the event show a confusing, chaotic scene. Some show protesters screaming obscenities at police and taking a hat from one of the officers. Others show police struggling with people who refuse to get up. Nearby, a couple posed for wedding pictures on the bridge.

Protesters also assembled yesterday in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Boston and Los Angeles to express their solidarity with the movement in New York, though their demands remain unclear. Occupy Wall Street demonstrators have been camped in Zuccotti Park and have clashed with police on earlier occasions. Mostly, the protests have been peaceful, and the movement has shown no signs of losing steam. Celebrities including Michael Moore and Susan Sarandon made recent stops to encourage the group.

During the length of the protest, turnout has varied, but the numbers have reached as high as about a few thousand. A core group of about two hundred people remain camped throughout the week. They sleep on air mattresses, use Mac laptops and play drums. They go to the bathroom at the local McDonald’s. A few times a day, they march down to Wall Street, yelling, “This is what democracy looks like!”

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
40 Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jamie Murphy
    Favourite Jamie Murphy
    Report
    Oct 2nd 2011, 9:35 AM

    Society is only starting to see the greed that exists. We will see alot more protests like this in the future!

    84
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ann Illing
    Favourite Ann Illing
    Report
    Oct 2nd 2011, 3:16 PM

    I sincerely hope so.

    11
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Conor Lalor
    Favourite Conor Lalor
    Report
    Oct 2nd 2011, 9:43 AM

    There’s no rioting.
    There is, however, NYPD offices pepper spraying people without warning, and arresting people trying to take photos of the protests.

    57
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute angryzes
    Favourite angryzes
    Report
    Oct 2nd 2011, 10:40 AM

    No riots, so, they not even started to throw bricks into the government buildings?!? … It is sarcasm of course, just proves my point – in Belarus when a couple of hundreds of people started to throw some bricks into the windows and were arrested, Lukashenko was condemned by EU and US. Just highlights some double standards we use all the time.

    20
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute angryzes
    Favourite angryzes
    Report
    Oct 2nd 2011, 9:36 AM

    Yeah, when it happens in Belarus and Lukashenko arrests rioters – it makes a lot of sense and when same happens in US – rioters are mad, mad people without any sense.

    45
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Damien Kelly
    Favourite Damien Kelly
    Report
    Oct 2nd 2011, 10:45 AM

    Every western city worldwide should take up this protest. We’re being destroyed by a capitalist system with no empathy for people.

    43
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Gis Bayertz
    Favourite Gis Bayertz
    Report
    Oct 2nd 2011, 9:58 AM

    The great American democracy – my butt

    39
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Joe McDermott
    Favourite Joe McDermott
    Report
    Oct 2nd 2011, 9:34 AM

    Just randomly arresting peaceful protestors.

    34
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ronald
    Favourite Ronald
    Report
    Oct 2nd 2011, 10:11 AM

    It’s an illegal road block affecting hundreds of thousands of people and small companies who are trying to go about their business.

    It’s the equivalent of protesters blocking the M50!

    27
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute James Quirke
    Favourite James Quirke
    Report
    Oct 2nd 2011, 10:40 AM

    but what there protesting effect 6 billion people on this planet

    41
    See 1 more reply ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Joe Sixtwo
    Favourite Joe Sixtwo
    Report
    Oct 2nd 2011, 11:48 AM

    Maybe we should block the M50 and maybe our Government will finally grasp the situation.

    35
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ronald
    Favourite Ronald
    Report
    Oct 2nd 2011, 9:35 AM

    I appreciate that people want to change the system but breaking the law and disrupting the lives of the average resident is not justified… No matter how righteous you believe you cause to be.

    30
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Paul McCluskey
    Favourite Paul McCluskey
    Report
    Oct 2nd 2011, 11:09 AM

    The people of Syria and Yemen were breaking the law in their respective countries, does that mean it is okay to shoot them.

    33
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Joe Sixtwo
    Favourite Joe Sixtwo
    Report
    Oct 2nd 2011, 11:51 AM

    Oh deary me a bit of disruption how terrible!

    24
    See 3 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Niall Carson
    Favourite Niall Carson
    Report
    Oct 2nd 2011, 12:05 PM

    What’s your surname Ronald, Reagan or McDonald?

    19
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ollie Pinion
    Favourite Ollie Pinion
    Report
    Oct 2nd 2011, 12:34 PM

    Thats a bit naive. What if that law and system are completely set up by, and for those you are protesting againt?

    9
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Si Mon
    Favourite Si Mon
    Report
    Oct 2nd 2011, 1:45 PM

    Are they not that average resident ?????

    7
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Mata Mata
    Favourite Mata Mata
    Report
    Oct 2nd 2011, 11:17 AM

    Go Americans and take your Country back !

    27
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Alan Biddulph
    Favourite Alan Biddulph
    Report
    Oct 2nd 2011, 12:37 PM

    Fair play to them, Occupy Dame Street is happening on the 8th of October. I’ll be there

    26
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute David Higgins
    Favourite David Higgins
    Report
    Oct 2nd 2011, 12:40 PM

    yeah, because shutting down the Irish Central Bank is really going to make all of our lives better…..

    9
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Brian Kelleher
    Favourite Brian Kelleher
    Report
    Oct 2nd 2011, 6:04 PM

    Thought the IFSC, not the Central Bank, would have been Wall St.’s equivalent here. The organisers are clearly a clever bunch.

    4
    See 1 more reply ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute David Higgins
    Favourite David Higgins
    Report
    Oct 2nd 2011, 6:19 PM

    IFSC is an even more stupid idea. It employs tens of thousands of people and is generally regarded as one of the great successes of the Celtic Tiger.

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Kelly McCarthy
    Favourite Kelly McCarthy
    Report
    Oct 2nd 2011, 9:28 AM

    Yeah, like anything positive is going to come from this.

    22
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Niall Carson
    Favourite Niall Carson
    Report
    Oct 2nd 2011, 9:35 AM

    Let’s wait and see if America is as democratic as they claim.

    71
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Kelly McCarthy
    Favourite Kelly McCarthy
    Report
    Oct 2nd 2011, 10:08 AM

    These hippies should be locked up with the keys thrown away. NYPD are doing the right thing by keeping scum like this off the streets. Pepper spray is too good for them.

    22
    See 3 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Gearóid Ó Murchadha
    Favourite Gearóid Ó Murchadha
    Report
    Oct 2nd 2011, 10:46 AM

    Really Kathy? Surely they should have the right to protest peacefully about any issue they wish? Or if, as you say, pepper spray is too good for them maybe the NYPD should take a leave out of syria’s book and just shoot the protesters? I say fair play to them. Maybe if more people had have protested here three years ago the bank guarantee wouldn’t have gone ahead and Ireland wouldn’t be quite so fucked due to the banks and corporate greed. The very issue the occupy wall street protests are about!

    75
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Gearóid Ó Murchadha
    Favourite Gearóid Ó Murchadha
    Report
    Oct 2nd 2011, 10:46 AM

    Oops, I meant Kelly, not Kathy.

    22
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Joe Sixtwo
    Favourite Joe Sixtwo
    Report
    Oct 2nd 2011, 11:46 AM

    The American people are waking up at last. We could take a leaf out of their book it is Wall street that are running things not Washington.

    37
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Cormac Flanagan
    Favourite Cormac Flanagan
    Report
    Oct 2nd 2011, 10:09 AM

    What are they protesting against. It seems to change daily. Also if your going to protest against capitalism should they not be trashing McDonalds not using there facilities.

    While the protests seems to be a bit haphazard at first they have obviously tapped into something as the protests grows. NYPD not helping. Watched the above video and wading into a crowd to make arrests(which could easily be left off) is just starting trouble.

    22
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Seán Kearns
    Favourite Seán Kearns
    Report
    Oct 2nd 2011, 10:34 AM

    I don’t think it’s capialism per se that they are protesting against. I think it’s corruption and bad buisness/banking practices. Then again nobody is 100% sure because they haven’t made anything too clear.
    But fair play to the journal for writing about this, the only news outlet that I’ve seen even mention this. I think American news are trying to down play this and hope that it will fizzle out.

    33
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Paul Curley
    Favourite Paul Curley
    Report
    Oct 2nd 2011, 12:29 PM

    One thing is for sure that could never happen here as you need a back bone to protest like that..The only thing that could close the M50 would be a lose horse or cattle

    20
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute David Higgins
    Favourite David Higgins
    Report
    Oct 2nd 2011, 11:12 AM

    If a single person was to walk along the road part of the Brooklyn Bridge, they’d be beeped off the road and quickly arrested for being a total looney. We’d all think they were a bit weird and we’d be right.

    However when thousands of people do it, suddenly it comes under the banner of “peaceful protest” and it means we just let it happen no matter the disruption.

    The facts are that the protesters began on the walkway but then they immaturely started to walk along the road. There would have been no issues if they had kept on the walkway but they asked for trouble by walking on the road.

    9
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Giz Pyro
    Favourite Giz Pyro
    Report
    Oct 2nd 2011, 5:26 PM

    If one person were to do it they would most likely get run over and forgotten about.

    A large group walking on a road as part of a protest is part of civil disobedience, it’s people exercising their constitutional rights to protest. It’s meant to disrupt things. So long as this is achieved without criminal damage or violence it’s perfectly legal and enshrined in the constitution of MOST "democratic" countries..

    Notice these guys have avoided violence or criminal damage (they even use maccy d’s toilets rather than urinate or deficate on the street which would be picked up on immediately), and the media has largely refused to acknowledge it’s happening (still a media blackout in the US)..
    If there was a shred of violence – it would be all over the news (this movement are obviously smart enough to refuse to let the agent provocateurs drag them off course)

    Have you even seen the way American Cops behave? They do personality tests in police academy to identify the cadets with the highest narcissistic tendencies because it means they will be less emotionally involved (and less compassionate, seeing as they’re closer to psychopaths than average), these are the guys who get preference!!

    America is turning more and more fascist by the day, I say more power to this movement, they’re doing it to the letter of the law and playing their oppressors at their own game. They would make Gandhi proud!

    Roll on Occupy Dame Street :)

    12
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Julian King
    Favourite Julian King
    Report
    Oct 3rd 2011, 1:39 AM

    They’re not out walking for exercise, if they need to step off the beaten track to raise awareness then so be it.

    6
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute The Baxter
    Favourite The Baxter
    Report
    Oct 2nd 2011, 5:11 PM

    Looked at the Video Looks like a lot of FAT THUGS IN UNIFORM beating up peaceful protesters

    8
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Derek Richardson
    Favourite Derek Richardson
    Report
    Oct 2nd 2011, 8:20 PM

    mr higgins the socalled celtic tiger was a total failure the country was sold to the sme people who emply those people in the ifsc

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute David Higgins
    Favourite David Higgins
    Report
    Oct 3rd 2011, 8:46 AM

    If it was such a failure, why are tens of thousands of people still employed there?

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Kitalpha
    Favourite Kitalpha
    Report
    Oct 2nd 2011, 8:13 PM

    Occupy Dame Street
    08 October at 14:00 – 15 October at 23:30
    Location
    Outside the Central Bank of Ireland
    Dame Street
    Dublin, Ireland
    https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=281964798495313

    Occupy Cork
    15 October at 14:00 – 31 October at 23:30
    Location
    South Mall
    https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=237924212923584

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Cormac Flanagan
    Favourite Cormac Flanagan
    Report
    Oct 2nd 2011, 9:17 PM

    Damn. Working this days. Can we re schedule.

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Larry O'Connor
    Favourite Larry O'Connor
    Report
    Oct 3rd 2011, 8:51 AM

    They were led onto the bridge, people thought the police were escorting them across. Google “it only takes 20 minutes to shift the blame” to see how the New York Times changed their story about this.

    3
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds