Wall Street protesters coalesce; movement spreads nationwide
The Occupy Wall Street protests have been spreading in Los Angeles, California and across the country.
October 5th, 2011
12:00 PM ET

Wall Street protesters coalesce; movement spreads nationwide

The few hundred people camped out at Zuccotti Park in New York’s Financial District in an entrenched protest loosely focused on corporate greed and big business’s involvement in government will see their numbers bolstered by thousands this afternoon.

A half-dozen labor unions, including the local Transport Workers Union are joining Occupy Wall Street for a march through Lower Manhattan today. The demonstrators plan to leave their encampment and join the union members at Foley Square about a mile north of their location. Then, together, they’ll march back down to Zuccotti Park.

Listen to the full CNN Radio report here:

As the number of protesters grows the movement shows no signs of letting up. It has spread to several other cities across the country. An Occupy Philadelphia protest began this week.

Time.com: How Occupy Wall Street echoes the 'Indignados' of Spain

The movement is leaderless and lacking an organizational structure. But that doesn’t mean it’s disorganized.

“We didn’t set up a clear set of goals to begin with because we felt we were trying to bring people together and start a conversation, and from that conversation … the goals and demands will become clear,” said Lorenzo Cerna, one of the volunteers working in Occupy Wall Street’s ad hoc media center.

Open Story: Are you there? | Photos

The process for facilitating the conversation revolves around what the demonstrators call a General Assembly. It meets daily, sometimes twice a day, and anyone can stand up and voice an opinion. Those listening nearby then repeat what the speaker said, amplifying it so that everyone else can hear the message.

They’re trying to create a consensus around a clear objective through a group process.

“It takes some time. So we have to be patient,” Cerna said. “A lot of people want a specific thing to be said. But I think that specific thing will eventually be said.” As he looked at the diverse group of people around him he said, “This movement is very much about bringing people together and for getting people to start talking to each other and start working together.” In that regard, he believes Occupy Wall Street has been successful.

Opinion: Just a phase? You don't get it

While they figure out what their goals are, they’ve organized different volunteer groups tasked with keeping the park clean, distributing food donated by people sympathetic to their cause, and dealing with medical and legal issues.

They even have their own internal security force, although, they didn’t want to be called security. They settled on the term "De-escalation." They call out people violating the group rules of no drugs and alcohol and respecting each other’s property.

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

While the people who make up Occupy Wall Street figure out how they want to focus their message, no one can say how long it will take and where this is all heading. As more people join the protest they get to have their opinions heard, too, drawing out the process.

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

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Filed under: Occupy Wall Street • U.S.
soundoff (946 Responses)
  1. Afterword

    Big money has been packing its bags and sending them overseas for years now (jobs, investments, etc.) It will soon be gone. There are greener pastures in China, India and Brazil.

    America needs big money – but big money no longer needs America.

    It is too late for protest.

    October 10, 2011 at 6:07 pm | Report abuse |
  2. ROTFLMFAO!

    http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQXcehQ1xw5QPxTVSHpV5WFx4y93boHVOkfUZu2alvzdnOgYAVQ5UpMHQ

    October 10, 2011 at 6:46 pm | Report abuse |
  3. Occupy The White House!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFg0DzT9tNI&feature=player_detailpage

    October 10, 2011 at 10:21 pm | Report abuse |
  4. Hypothetical ?

    Let's look at this hypothetically. "Wall Street" thinks all of the protesters are lazy and looking for a hand out. Okay! For hypothetical reasons let's say that's true. So just for example, if every protester promised to leave for a $1,000 "hand out" from "Wall Street", and there's roughly 1,500 protesters, for a total of $1,5000,000, which is pocket change for "Wall Street". If that’s all it would take to make all of them go away, do you think they'd do it? I know it’s ridiculous, and it’s intended to be a purely hypothetical question. My point is that I think the answer would be NO. I truly believe they’re that greedy. Humor me, what do you think?

    October 10, 2011 at 11:58 pm | Report abuse |
    • Hypothetical ?

      *1,500,000 ooops too many 0's*

      October 11, 2011 at 12:05 am | Report abuse |
    • Heather

      No I would not sell myself out for $1,000. The bungling the did with the housing market cost me over $40,000 ($60,000 if you factor in the loss I would have to take to sell in this market). If we were in a truly capitalist economy then those bankers would have been fired and not given million dollar bonuses. I want representation, not a hand out.

      October 13, 2011 at 11:42 am | Report abuse |
  5. Parker East

    Here is my contribution to the movement... so far. Pass it along.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6xrMZwnS-o

    Worth watching....

    October 12, 2011 at 5:33 am | Report abuse |
  6. tomar brocato

    Enough of the words of wisdom to Wall Street ,Believe me they won't listen to anything you have to say , It"s time to locl + load!

    October 14, 2011 at 12:57 am | Report abuse |
  7. tomar brocato

    see they even screw you when they can in response ! lockkkkkkkkkk + load! that means shoot em up bang bang!

    October 14, 2011 at 1:00 am | Report abuse |
  8. tomar brocato

    time for some good good violence! make em feel what we have gone through because of their greed +con rigging .draw blood! to the wenches!

    October 14, 2011 at 1:05 am | Report abuse |
  9. Domar Calderon

    I would like tome to New york to protest to: I am a 74 years old man, No job, no money no house with a rtirement very very low and because a big mistke I happen to have a studie debt of many thousands of Dollars, since 1989, we all know whats happen if we can´t pay I am desperate, please help me wiht, I want to come, do not matter If I die there, I have to make, but I cant pay the ticket. Help, help help.

    October 23, 2011 at 11:02 pm | Report abuse |
  10. Domar Calderon

    I would like tome to New york to protest to: I am a 74 years old man, No job, no money no house with a rtirement very very low and because a big mistke I happen to have a studie debt of many thousands of Dollars, since 1989, we all know whats happen if we can´t pay I am desperate, please help me wiht, I want to come, do not matter If I die there, I have to make, but I cant pay the ticket. Help, help help. Note it´s my firt time writing about this issue, please post it

    October 23, 2011 at 11:06 pm | Report abuse |
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