News: More Arrests for Occupy Wall Street
(Long Island, N.Y.) Sixteen protesters were arrested outside the Goldman Sachs headquarters as part of the Occupy Wall Street movement. Reports stated that those arrested had been sitting in the driveway that led to the building. The location of the incident was at West Street and police were called to remove them from the area.
Some sources claimed that Thursday’s arrests were part of a lunch hour demonstration. It was reported that roughly two-hundred people had walked for seven blocks with drums to display their support for the cause. Those who have spoken about the incident have claimed they were peacefully rallying in areas that weren’t prohibited.
At least fifteen of the protesters have been charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. The Occupy Wall Street movement, which has lasted for months and spread around various cities across the nation, dates back to September when fifty protesters were arrested for allegedly occupying Union Square. According to reports, those arrested refused to participate with prosecutors in a deal that would have dropped their charges.
Instead, the vast majority of the protesters denied the deal, which existed under the terms that they stay out of trouble for a six-month period. The new court date for those protesters is scheduled for January 9th of next year. Since the arrests, it has appeared that many others have taken the example and have refused to cooperate with police and authorities in order to strengthen their cause.
According to reports, part of the issue with the large crowds of protesters is the dangers in blocking traffic. There is also the issue of pedestrians who needed to navigate the occupied streets and for those who work in the buildings in the area. Nonetheless, protesters maintain that they have stayed on the sidewalks and have been keeping away from traffic so that pedestrians have room to travel.
It’s uncertain how long the protesters will continue rallying and whether the situation will escalate to require more police involvement. Sources claimed that police and authorities who have responded in the area have continued to handle the situation as peacefully as possible.
