Occupy Wall Street arrests in Texas, Oregon

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1 of 4. Demonstrators live at the Occupy DC camp in McPherson Square in Washington, October 30, 2011.

Credit: Reuters/Jonathan Ernst

AUSTIN, Texas | Sun Oct 30, 2011 4:27pm EDT

AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - Dozens of protesters at economic inequality demonstrations in Austin, Texas, and Portland, Oregon were arrested peacefully early on Sunday over allegedly failing to comply with rules in each city.

Both protests were among many held across the country since September by demonstrators who say they are angry over economic inequality and what they see as Wall Street greed.

At Occupy Austin, some 38 people were arrested on Saturday night and early Sunday after refusing to let police take down food tables and clean the City Hall plaza where they had camped for several weeks, police told Reuters on Sunday.

They were charged with criminal trespass and issued citations that mean they can't return to the protest site.

"We've had a very peaceful Occupy Austin, especially compared to the rest of the nation, but we do have rules that have to be enforced," said Austin Police Officer Dennis Farris.

Makeshift encampments sprouting up in cities nationwide have forced local officials to tread carefully between allowing peaceful assembly and addressing concerns about trespassing, noise, sanitation and safety.

In Portland, protesters' attempt to extend their occupation to a third city park in an upscale downtown neighborhood was broken up by police early Sunday morning.

Some 25 protesters were arrested on charges related to rules about use of the park.

"It was peaceful, methodical and business-like," said police spokesman Pete Simpson.

Protesters at the Nashville, Tennessee, Occupy encampment were spared a curfew check on Saturday night after more than 50 arrests last week over curfew violations. They were released after a court official said there were no grounds for charges.

Other weekend protests struggled against the elements.

In New York, a day after authorities confiscated their generators, hundreds of protesters struggled to stay warm and dry Saturday after more than an inch of snow fell in the city.

In Washington, demonstrators marched in sleet to the Treasury to urge higher taxes on the financial sector, beating a drum and chanting "Banks got bailed out, we got sold out!"

(Reporting by Karen Brooks in Austin, Dan Cook in Portland and Tim Ghianni in Nashville; Writing by Lauren Keiper; Editing by Jerry Norton)
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Comments (3)
UnPartisan wrote:
“”There’s a lot of people out there with no roof over their heads, nowhere to sleep, the constant fear of getting sick or hurt because you will go bankrupt, and then there are other people with multiple houses, multiples cars and it just doesn’t work,” said Eric Larson, an electronics assembler who walked through the park handing out hats, gloves and ponchos.”

This is why you are not the 99%. I am all for helping the misfornutate in our country, but I am not about to join a group that thinks it is wrong for a family to have multiple cars or be able to have a vacation home etc. You aren’t the 99%, you are a minority in this country that is against monetary success, personal wealth, and personal liberty.

Oct 29, 2011 9:12pm EDT  --  Report as abuse
rightmind2020 wrote:
My family has a roof over our heads, a place to sleep and health insurance. You want to know why? We work and we don’t waste time fretting over who has more than us. It was not long ago when we would go week to week praying that we could cover our bills and put food on the table; what did we do? Curse the darkness or light a candle? Insist that government take care of us? We looked at our situation and came to the conclusion that it was unsustainable and made sacrifices to change it. We now have plenty for ourselves and enought to donate to those that are struggling with TEMPORARY assistance…it’s called a hand up, not a hand-out. Our story is being repeated over and over and over on a daily basis in America, as it has been for over two centuries. We will continue to help those in need in our community, but if those in need wish to sit in a park and whine about everything instead of raising themselves up, well, I guess they can freeze this winter, there will be no help from this middle-class family who is part of the 53% who actually pay taxes and who will be paying more if the moochers get their way. And please, drop the argument that this is about outrage over the bank bailouts, it’s pretty clear that this “movement” is more about people who want to get paid for sitting on their duff than about corporate “greed”. If you were really upset about corporate “greed” you would be complaining about the crony capitalism that is taking place under this administration. When I start seeing the name “Solyndra” on some of your placards and you learn how to protest in a civil manner, like Tea Party protests, which did not destroy property or march outside of the homes of private citizens (lynch mob style), then we will consider taking you seriously. Until then, your nothing but an unruly mob walking the tightrope between Constitutional protest and incitement of violence.

Oct 30, 2011 9:13am EDT  --  Report as abuse
Subjectzero.0 wrote:
@UnPartisan and rightmind2020
I hear what you guys are saying and in some ways, I’d agree with both you. I think confusion is setting in on both sides blurring what the real issues are. This is suppose to be the “Occupy Wall Street” movement, not the protest against everybody who makes a decent living. Wall Street has dealt some serious blows to our economy and got bail outs of tax payer money as a result. What this protest should be showing is that there is a demand for reform of the banking and financial sector. Many of these investors don’t get taxed the same way we wage earners do, and while they reel in huge profits, we pay higher percentage taxes (There was another article here on Reuters talking about that). I support the protestors as far as reforming Wall Street and from getting away with sketchy practices like the housing bubble that have destroyed the lives of many Americans.

All that said, I agree with you UnPartisan and Rightmind about the tactics being used. I support them being able to camp in parks or grassy areas as long as they clean up after themselves. Destroying the land, going to the bathroom in public, making all matter of noise at all hours of the night near residential areas, and threatening to shut down operations in the city such as traffic or businesses is straight nonsense and far cry from a “peaceful assembly”. If those people had paid for proper sanitation services such as jonny on the spots, dumpsters for trash, or simply went home each night and protested again in the morning, I could see their side a bit more. Instead, we got people throwing a fit when a police officer asks them to break down a food table. Seriously? How is anything going to get resolved by being that stubborn?
I was mad at government officials for being this stubborn, now it appears that both sides are equally guilty. Instead of ignoring the problem, the government should provide these guys an outlet to hear their protest and find a means for a resolution. These guys should also be petitioning their Congressman, sitting down and hashing out a solution. Not turning everything site they go to into a carnival ground.

I also wonder how these guys are the “99%” of the rest of us when they can afford to drop everything and camp out for months in protest. Who’s paying for all their supplies and their bills anyways?
I certainly couldn’t afford to drop everything and hop a plane with a tent to camp out for awhile.

Nov 01, 2011 10:15pm EDT  --  Report as abuse
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