Who are the voices behind the protests, movement to #OccupyWallStreet?
Protesters dressed as corporate zombies march past the New York Stock Exchange on Monday.
October 4th, 2011
03:06 PM ET

Who are the voices behind the protests, movement to #OccupyWallStreet?

Protesters have been camping out at New York’s Zuccotti Park for more than two weeks.

What started as call to action by Adbusters, a Canadian anti-consumer organization, to protest greed and corruption in Manhattan's Financial District has grown into a catch-all movement of dissent and frustration with current norms.

Overheard on CNN.com: What do the protesters want?

Fueled by social media, the protests have persisted and have begun to attract mainstream attention. By now, the Occupy Wall Street event is attracting a lot of street musicians and tourists.

The atmosphere appears more festive than angry.

View a high-resolution gallery of the protests

Those assembled say there is no leadership, but there’s plenty of organization. Food continues to be donated, and protesters take shifts for things such as sanitation duty in which they sweep the park. There are no restrooms, but there are plenty of fast-food restaurants and coffee shops nearby for bathroom breaks.

“It’s the '60s without the drugs,” says Jennifer Jager, who lives near the park and has been watching and visiting the protesters.

“A lot of them who started it are younger than my son,” she says.

CNN’s Susanna Capelouto and Jonathan Binder spent an afternoon with the protesters and sent this audio postcard:

You can also listen to the CNN Radio Reports podcast on itunes or subscribe to the podcast here.

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Filed under: New York • Occupy Wall Street
soundoff (547 Responses)
  1. Mark

    If it were up to me, we would all be naked zombies and we would carry pickles to hand out to everyone. Ron Paul 2012

    October 4, 2011 at 4:55 pm | Report abuse |
  2. Seeking employ

    1.) I can only lift 20 lbs. 2.) I do degree work with no degree. 3.) Legalize marijuanna. 4.) When do I start?

    October 4, 2011 at 4:55 pm | Report abuse |
    • Cogito

      When you learn how to spell marijuana...

      October 4, 2011 at 5:53 pm | Report abuse |
    • Cogito

      When you learn how to spell marijuana.

      October 4, 2011 at 5:54 pm | Report abuse |
  3. Chris

    "“It’s the '60s without the drugs,” says Jennifer Jager,"

    Uhhhh hhhuhhh, sure, we believe that. There's probably more pot there than a Bob Marley festival.

    October 4, 2011 at 4:56 pm | Report abuse |
  4. Noonie

    The US Military is leaving Iraq by the end of the year. Attention college grads and military: Private sector contractors are hiring right now and paying big bucks. You can get in on the ground floor to build a great career and have benefits for you and your family too.

    October 4, 2011 at 4:56 pm | Report abuse |
  5. zack

    RACISTS!

    October 4, 2011 at 4:57 pm | Report abuse |
  6. me

    No, me.

    October 4, 2011 at 4:58 pm | Report abuse |
  7. Anonymous

    Rush Limbaugh said he thinks the Tea Party should join in the Occupation of Wall Street.

    October 4, 2011 at 4:58 pm | Report abuse |
  8. Sara Bean

    I'm hoping the new iPhone 4s will distract these idiots away from this futile protest.

    GO GET A JOB BECAUSE NO ONE IS LISTENING TO YOU

    October 4, 2011 at 4:58 pm | Report abuse |
  9. BigBankCEO

    If you were born rich and white, you can sit behind a desk all year and make one decision that justifies a $45 million dollar executive salary + a $18 million dollar bonus. It's the Republican and Tea Party way to not work at all and get the most pay. I love my white privilege.

    October 4, 2011 at 4:58 pm | Report abuse |
    • John

      CEO's went to college. Many worked hard to get there. Herman Cain is an example: Not white, not born rich, went to college, and makes a lot of money. So what's your goofy point? If all rich white kids could automatically be CEO's, they would, but they DON'T, because they CAN'T. If people can't navigate a meritocracy, that's THEIR problem.

      October 4, 2011 at 5:08 pm | Report abuse |
    • BigBankCEO

      Then there is middle class idiots like John which support my hefty salary at the expense of their declining home values and potential job losses. Oh yeah, that one decision I make every year is to lower my company expenses by laying off several thousand domestic workers in favor of some good ol' 3rd world labor. Only an American would be railed in the butt and still ask for more.

      October 4, 2011 at 5:13 pm | Report abuse |
  10. pabstslayer

    Protesting worked in the '60's doesn't work these days. These people are wasting their time I hate to say it, millionaires could care less about what us little folks have to say.

    October 4, 2011 at 4:59 pm | Report abuse |
    • Anonymous

      If they are wasting their time protesting, then aren't you doubly wasting your time telling them to stop?

      October 4, 2011 at 5:00 pm | Report abuse |
  11. Truth Squad

    Strange that the media is not scouring the crowd to find the anger, it's there ; or the mean-spritied signs and rhetoric, cause it's there. Since this is a leftist movement the media will do it's best to shine a positive light on these protests.
    Unlike the Tea Party, where they staked out the fringe, and reported only the anger and mean-spritied, even thought those people were just the outliers.
    These people are what Marx was looking for in a revolution, the dumbed-down masses who have been told all their lives the world owes them something and that "others' are taking it from them.
    Typical double-standard for CNN and the rest of the media.

    October 4, 2011 at 5:00 pm | Report abuse |
  12. Anonymous

    I understand indifference to the protesters. But I don't understand all the anger. Are they really that big a threat?

    October 4, 2011 at 5:01 pm | Report abuse |
  13. We occupied Afghanistan and Iraq.

    Big deal Wall-Street. But think of the security costs associated with keeping economic terrorism at bay. We would need like two-armed guards for each wall street banker, and that's before we finally send him to prison.

    October 4, 2011 at 5:02 pm | Report abuse |
  14. Lara Gourdman

    What do these protestors think is actually going to happen?

    Big banks are going to stop what they're doing, de-regulate and then re-regulate themselves according to the needs of the American public. Finance spreads further than the borders of America...we're a global world now and things aren't so black and white anymore

    These kids are expecting too much from the government, as well as those just expect a government handout

    October 4, 2011 at 5:02 pm | Report abuse |
  15. we are peacemakers

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=6yrT-0Xbrn4

    October 4, 2011 at 5:02 pm | Report abuse |
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