Monday, November 7, 2011

Weekend Protests

A roundup of Occupy protests

By the CNN Wire Staff
updated 9:52 AM EST, Mon November 7, 2011
What started as the Occupy Wall Street movement in New York in September has spread across major cities worldwide.
What started as the Occupy Wall Street movement in New York in September has spread across major cities worldwide.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS
  • NEW: Four people on bicycles are arrested in Atlanta, police say
  • Protesters seek donations to bail out a member in Honolulu
  • A Portland group tells police it is not responsible for vandalism at two banks
  • Eleven people are arrested in Riverside, California
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(CNN) -- What started as the Occupy Wall Street movement in New York in September has spread across major cities worldwide as a call to action against unequal distribution of wealth.
Here is a roundup of some of the movement's recent developments.
ATLANTA
A lone woman draped in an American flag was taken into custody early Monday morning at Woodruff Park in downtown Atlanta.

Occupy protester arrested in Atlanta

The Occupy Life

Occupy Atlanta's non-violent protest

Jesse Jackson supports Occupy Movement
The woman, the only one in the park, was arrested after the 11 p.m. curfew, while fellow protesters stood silently on a sidewalk -- deliberate acts intended to send a message, said Occupy Atlanta spokeswoman La'Die Mansfied.
"We wanted to send a message that all of resources that (the city is ) spending into the arrest of this one person -- who is only asking to be heard -- could be better spent and used to address the reasons why she was sitting in the park," Mansfield said.
Four people on bicycles were also arrested near the park, accused of traffic violations, Atlanta police said Monday. One of the four was also charged with obstruction of a law enforcement officer.
Over the weekend, a police crackdown on a gathering organized by the movement resulted in 19 arrests.
On Sunday, about 80 people converged on the city's Centennial Olympic Park for a peaceful gathering, police said.
On Monday, a hearing will be held for a protester who was charged Saturday night with aggravated assault and obstruction after police said he assaulted a motorcycle officer patrolling the area. However, demonstrators said the officer "accelerated into a demonstrator."
HONOLULU
Protesters were seeking donations Sunday to recoup $1,700 in bail money after eight people were arrested during a sit-in at Thomas Square, one of Honolulu's oldest community parks, a day earlier.
"We are asking support from the community to help raise bail money to pay back those who cannot afford to pay," the group said on its website.
CNN affiliate KITV reported that demonstrators returned to the park Sunday to raise bail money for one member who had not been bailed out.
PORTLAND, OREGON
A group calling itself "The Real Occupy Portland and the 99%" told police Sunday that it was not responsible for vandalizing two banks, despite an earlier apparent claim of responsibility.
A Chase Bank branch in Portland, Oregon, was vandalized Saturday, its windows broken and paint thrown inside. Windows were also broken at a Wells Fargo bank branch, police said.
Late Saturday, an email from "The Real Occupy Portland" was forwarded to Portland police from CNN affiliate KGW. In the email, the group claimed responsibility for the vandalism at both buildings and said the incidents were connected to Bank Transfer Day, a social media-driven campaign urging consumers to withdraw their money from banks in favor of credit unions.
But on Sunday, police said they received a second email from the group "The Real Occupy Portland and the 99%." That email said the group is a nonprofit that was established five days ago.
"We are currently not affiliated with any other group in the city, and are still in the process of organizing the structure," according to the email, which was also released by police.
"The purpose of our organization is to support the nonviolent Occupy Movement across the country. 'The Real Occupy Portland' is not connected with these acts of violence and does not condone any vandalism or violence," the email said.
The group said it understood from media reports that the previous communication was sent from an anonymous address. Both incidents were under investigation, Portland police said.
RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA
Riverside police arrested 11 people Sunday after a group of about 40 demonstrators formed a human chain to prevent officers from pulling down tents near City Hall, Occupy organizers said.
Frank Barilone Jr. said the demonstrators had the tents up in violation of municipal codes because it was raining and cold.
"Our occupiers were taking shelter in them," he said.
Barilone said a water bottle and a can was thrown at officers but the "the overall movement in and of itself was peaceful."
Riverside Police Lt. Chuck Griffitts told the Los Angeles Times that eight protesters were arrested on suspicion of resisting an officer and three on suspicion of assaulting an officer.
CNN's Maria P. White contributed to this report.


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