Wall Street may be thousands of miles away, but that will not stop local activists from joining forces this Saturday to protest what they call the proverbial “financial oligarchs” on the block.
Occupy Milwaukee is a local offshoot of the Occupy Wall Street protests in New York City which have been going on since mid-September.
The group’s slogan, “We are the 99 percent,” refers to the 99 percent of the population affected by joblessness, pay cuts and rising debts who are coming together to protest the 1 percent of Americans enjoying extreme wealth, said Austin Thompson, one of the many organizers of the local group.
“’We are the 99 percent’ sends a very powerful message,” Thompson said. “We are coming together against the wealth and greed of the (remaining) 1 percent of the population.”
Occupy Milwaukee’s rally will begin at Zeidler Union Square and proceed to Chase Bank and other banks in Milwaukee, Thompson said.
The event correlates with the International Day of Action, when supporters around the world will take to the streets to protest corporate greed. The date, Oct. 15, was chosen in solidarity with a similar movement that took place in Spain on March 15 of this year, when Spanish youth led a movement against Spanish political parties they held responsible for the economic crisis there.
“The rally in Spain is an example of what is possible through people power,” Thompson said.
Thompson said the role of college students, who face increasing student debt and unemployment after graduation, in the Occupy Milwaukee movement is important. He said he expects to see large numbers of college students at the rally.
Andy Suchorski, junior in the College of Arts & Sciences and communications director for the Marquette College Democrats, said the organization stands in solidarity with Occupy Milwaukee and expects 20 of its members to be in attendance at the rally.
“The ‘Occupy’ protests across the country are true democratic uprisings that are lending a voice to those being ignored by the politicians,” Suchorski said.
Websites and Facebook pages have helped spread the word about the “Occupy” movement and the upcoming rally, but not all reactions have been positive.
“The ‘Occupy’ groups are trashing the values of this country, the cities they are occupying and common sense,” said Ethan Hollenberger, senior in the College of Business Administration and president of the Marquette College Republicans. “All over the country, these protestors are getting arrested, defecating on police cars and showing a lack of respect. The movement has no demands, no motive and no real focus.”
But Suchorski said these protestors are not slobs or unpatriotic – they are just the opposite.
“This past spring, Wisconsin saw thousands of protestors march against Scott Walker’s assault on unions and the middle class. Now, millions of Americans are taking it a step further,” Suchorski said. “Wisconsinites and Americans have had enough of the corporate interests dominating the agenda, and it is time for an America that works for everybody again, not just the wealthiest among us.”
Hollenberger agreed the ‘Occupy’ movement has similarities to the protests in Madison earlier this year.
“This movement is going to be a carry over from the union debate last winter,” Hollenberger said. “Who is really the most greedy? The unions refused to pay anything in their pension (and) healthcare and allow elected officials to decide the insurance company, while the private sector pays considerably.”
But Thompson said the most greedy part of the population is the wealthy “1 percent,” which he said continues to perpetuate the financial inequality plaguing the nation.
“Milwaukee is affected just as much as any other city and needs to be part of the movement for change,” Thompson said.