From Joey Skaggs:
Some early photos from yesterday’s demonstration at Goldman Sachs in New York to protest greed and corruption in the financial sector.
photo: Deborah Thomas
Event Summary:
A police van filled with officers parked across the street from our staging area and waited for us to depart. As we did, officers on foot walked with us, but across the street. When construction caused us to change our route, I approached an officer and asked the best way to go. From that point on, they functioned as a police escort. When we hit West Street, which is a highway with heavy traffic, the police van, with lights flashing, stopped the traffic for us. We entered the bicycle lane and it was a clear shot down to the Goldman Sachs office at 200 West Street. The police van, with flashing lights, accompanied us the entire way. They were amazingly coordinated, without every having talked with us.
The police presence grew as we approached Goldman Sachs. When we got there, there were at least 20 more officers, plus a full fleet of Goldman Sachs security guards lined up at the door. It was quite impressive. The fox is safe in the chicken coop. He has employed the uniformed chickens to protect him. I was personally greeted by the “hipster cop,” Community Affairs Detective Rick Lee.
Tactically, we kept moving and obeyed all the traffic and bicycle laws. We made a continuous loop in front of the building, with the muppets singing and dancing the Mobile Homeless Blues, an original song created for the event by the Fresh Juice Party band. Having made our point, we then marched through downtown Manhattan, visiting Zuccotti Park, Washington Square Park and Union Square. The reactions we encountered from people along the route, was encouraging and very touching.
As soon as we left Goldman Sachs, the police presence melted away. The police were only concerned with protecting the power center, the white collar criminals with blood on their hands, who have exploited the public. The bankers, who control the politicians, will continue to get away with their crimes against society until we, the people, make stronger demands. Let’s keep the pressure on. Fight for awareness and for change with creativity and humor.
Will post video soon.
photo: Deborah Thomas
photos: Joey Skaggs Archive