Occupy Wall Street Anger Goes Global - 1000 Cities

A global outcry against corporate greed has risen up in almost a thousand cities worldwide. People have taken their anger to the streets, saying their governments have been taken over by big business. RT talks to Tim Matthews, Occupy London Stock exchange activist.

Protesters worldwide have joined the "Occupy Wall Street" movement in a cry of rage against bankers, financiers and politicians they accuse of ruining global economies and condemning millions to poverty and hardship through greed. One thousand cities across the world - from Tokyo to Alaska via London, Frankfurt and Washington - held demonstrations on Saturday, in a show of solidarity with the rallies that began last month in downtown New York.
"On October 15th people from all over the world took to the streets and squares  to initiate the global change we want," proclaimed the website United for #GlobalChange. "We will peacefully demonstrate, talk and organize until we make it happen. It's time for us to unite; it's time for them to listen."

Melbourne, Australia's second-largest city, saw the day's first demonstration, when at least 1,000 people, including children, gathered at City Square. "We face similar problems with our democracy here in Victoria and Australia as people face in most other developed nations," the Occupy Melbourne website said. "Our democracy is unwell."
In Sydney, about 2,000 protesters including representatives of Aboriginal groups, communists and trade unionists, protested outside the central Reserve Bank of Australia, at Martin Place in the central business district time.

'Occupy Asia'
Demonstrations of various sizes took place in Asia, namely in Japan's Tokyo, the Philippines' Manila, Taiwan's Taipei, South Korea's Seoul and China's Hong Kong.
Several protests and rallies were held simultaneously in various locations at the Japanese capital.
Hundreds of demonstrators marched to the headquarters of Tokyo Electric Power Co. and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry to show dissatisfaction over the handling of the nuclear disaster triggered by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.

Despite heavy rains in Seoul, the South Korean capital, members of more than 30 civic groups congregated outside the Financial Services Commission in Yeouido, the city's financial district. Activists wearing Guy Fawkes masks staged performances to express their frustration with the growing income gap in Seoul, and chanted "We are the 99 per cent" - one of the seminal slogans of the Wall Street movement.

In Hong Kong, people gathered at Exchange Square Podium in the city’s central shopping and business district. Some pitched tents to stay overnight at the site while others later migrated to the HSBC building nearby.
Taipei, the Taiwanese capital, saw a  turnout, at the city's landmark skyscraper Taipei 101, home to the Taiwan Stock Exchange.

The Occupy South Africa website announced "Operation Ubuntu", a Nguni word used to describe unity for a common purpose through an African worldview that people can only find fulfilment through interacting with other peoples.
Protests took place in the country's major cities of Capetown, East London, Durban and Johannesburg  later on Saturday.

Greek protesters aligned with Spain's "Indignant" movement called an anti-austerity rally in Athens' Syntagma square, the focal point of many demonstrations during Greece's financial meltdown.
In Germany, the financial centre of Frankfurt and the European Central Bank was expected to be a focus of marches called by the Real Democracy Now group.
"What is happening in Greece now is the nightmare waiting other countries in the future," Real Democracy said in a statement. "Solidarity is the people's weapon."

In Britain, about 4,000 people attended a peaceful demonstration that started at noon today in the City of London -- a leading international financial centre -- under the banner "Occupy the Stock Exchange".

In the United States, the founding "Occupation Wall Street" movement urged more people and cities to join them on Saturday. There were calls for occupations similar to that in Manhattan's Zuccotti Park to take place in dozens of US cities. In Houston, Texas, protesters  tapped into anger at big oil companies. The people of the world united in a common cause. And that's the way it should be.

Occupy the world: Rome burns as Wall St protests spread over globe and thousands march on Times Square in New York

Danger: A protester hurls a canister towards police next to a burning car during clashes in Rome as Occupy Wall Street goes global and violent

Jam packed: Demonstrators associated with the 'Occupy Wall Street' movement protest in Times Square

Upset: Occupy DC protesters march in a demonstration on K Street NW, a traditional home for lobbying firms, in Washington

Flames: A demonstrator celebrates as a police van burns during a protest by the 'Indignant' group against banking and finance in Rome

Italy: Protesters hurl objects at police in Rome as well as smashing shop windows and torching cars during a demonstration in the Italian capital

Italian police fired tear gas and water cannons as protesters who had smashed shop and bank windows, torched cars and hurled bottles. It came a day after Premier Silvio Berlusconi barely survived a confidence vote as Italy, with a national debt ratio second only to Greece in the 17-nation eurozone, is rapidly becoming a focus of concern in Europe's debt crisis.

Galvanized by the Occupy Wall Street movement, the protests began in New Zealand, rippled round the world to Europe, before returning to to their starting point in New York. Organizers hoped to see non-violent demonstrations in 951 cities in Asia, Europe, South America and Africa in addition to every state in the United States. Some of the biggest gatherings were seen in Spain where 60,000 people joined demonstrations in Madrid's Puerta del Sol and 20,000 marched through Seville.

Tonight (Sat 10/15)protesters are gathering for a mass occupation of Times Square in New York City in what organizers are calling 'The Occupation Party.

Locked up: Around 20 people were arrested after they protested at a Citibank branch in Manhattan

Custody: People are detained by New York City police officers in the lobby of a Citibank branch near Washington Square park

Where it started: Protesters march through New York ahead of a mass rally in Times Square

Banks: Occupy Wall Street protesters shout slogans against CHASE bank while they take part in a march in New York

Organizers said that a crowd of 5,000 people were making their way from a rally in the city's Washington Square Park to the landmark 'Crossroads of the World'.

As many as 2,000 protesters in Manhattan earlier paraded to a Chase bank branch, banging drums, blowing horns and carrying signs decrying corporate greed. 'Banks got bailed out. We got sold out,' the crowd chanted. A few protesters went inside the bank to close their accounts, but they group didn't stop other customers from getting inside or seek to blockade the business.

Liberty: Occupy Wall Street participants protest on Washington Square in New York today

March: Organizers said 5,000 people were making their way from a rally in Washington Square Park to Times Square

Chants: Occupy Boston protesters shout slogans outside the Bank of America building in Boston

Finger pointing: Demonstrators in Boston have been inspired by the protests in New York City

There were reports of at least some demonstrators being detained by police on Saturday afternoon at a Citibank branch during the march. Marchers throughout the country today emulated them in protests from Boston to Jackson, Mississippi.

In Washington, hundreds of protesters turned out, while a couple of thousand people gathered peacefully in Toronto's St. James park, a few blocks from the city's financial district.

Some 2,000 police were on hand to keep the Rome demonstrators, who call themselves 'the indignant ones', peaceful and to avoid a repeat of the violence last year when students protesting over education policy clashed with police. As some 750 buses bearing protesters converged on the capital, students at Rome university warmed up with their own mini-demo on Saturday morning.

Crowd: 60,000 demonstrators gather at Madrid's landmark Puerta del Sol as part of the United for

Global Change movement against banking and finance. Organizers said there were another 20,000 demonstrators in Seville

The carried signs reading 'Your Money is Our Money', and 'Yes We Camp', an echo of the slogan 'Yes We Can' used by U.S. President Barack Obama. In imitation of the occupation of Zuccotti Park near Wall Street in Manhattan, some protesters have been camped out across the street from the headquarters of the Bank of Italy for several days.

The worldwide protests were a response in part to calls by the New York demonstrators for more people to join them. Demonstrators in Italy were united in their criticism of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and angry at his victory in a vote of confidence in parliament on Friday.

Drastic measures: Police officers fire tear gas in Rome after the Occupy Wall Street protests turned violent today in the Italian capital

Demonstration: The global "day of rage" erupts into violence in Rome

Attacked: An Italian policeman bleeds after clashes in Rome

 

Violence: A demonstrator hits a photojournalist during a demonstration of the 'Indignant' group against banking and finance in Rome

The government has passed a 60 billion-euro austerity package that has raised taxes and will make public health care more expensive.

New Zealand and Australia got the ball rolling on Saturday. Several hundred people marched up the main street in Auckland, New Zealand's biggest city, joining a rally at which 3,000 chanted and banged drums, denouncing corporate greed.

About 200 gathered in the capital Wellington and 50 in a park in the earthquake-hit southern city of Christchurch.

In Sydney, about 2,000 people, including representatives of Aboriginal groups, communists and trade unionists, protested outside the central Reserve Bank of Australia. 'I think people want real democracy,' said Nick Carson, a spokesman for OccupyMelbourne.Org, as about 1,000 gathered in the Australian city. 'They don't want corporate influence over their politicians. They want their politicians to be accountable.'

Placards: Occupy DC protesters shout and hold signs as they march in a demonstration on K Street NW

Anger: An Occupy DC protester shouts as they rally in front of the U.S. Treasury Department in Washington

Burning city: Tens of thousands marched in Rome as the Italian capital was placed under a security lockdown when activists turned violent

Damage: Demonstrators walk past a broken statue of the Virgin Mary  in Rome during worlwide protests against corporate greed and austerity measures

Germany: People protest against structures of the current global financial system with posters in front of the European Central Bank in Frankfurt

Italy: Protesters look at a parked car on fire during a demonstration, in downtown Rome after tens of thousands marched today as part of a global day of protests

Global: Violence erupted on the streets of Rome, right , as thousands took to the streets spurred on by the Occupy Wall Street movement, left

Demonstrators also converged on the City of London under the banner 'Occupy the Stock Exchange'.'We have people from all walks of life joining us every day,' said Spyro, one of those behind a Facebook page in London which has drawn some 12,000 followers.  'The wealth of the top one percent has increased very fast in the past 20 or 30 years. Occupy Wall Street is a reaction to that.' The 28-year-old, who said he had a well-paid job and did not want to give his full name, said the target of the protests as 'the financial system'. Angry at taxpayer bailouts of banks since 2008 and at big bonuses still paid to some who work in them while unemployment blights the lives of many young Britons, he said: 'People all over the world, we are saying: "Enough is enough".'

Force: Italian police fired tear gas and water cannons as protesters who had smashed shop and bank windows, torched cars and hurled bottles

Sweden: A protester holds a banner reading Capitalism is also a Dictator' as she takes part in the Occupy Stockholm demonstration held at Sergels Torg

Stockholm: Protesters launched worldwide street demonstrations on October 15 against corporate greed and biting cutbacks in a rolling action targetting 951 cities in 82 countries

 Taiwan: Taiwan: A participant holds a placard reading 'Can't raise a family, Can't support a country', left, in Tapei while others sings songs to keep up spirits

Greek protesters called an anti-austerity rally for Saturday in Athens' Syntagma Square .' What is happening in Greece now is the nightmare awaiting other countries in the future. Solidarity is the people's weapon,' the Real Democracy group said in a statement calling on people to join the protest.

In Paris protests were expected to coincide with the G20 finance chiefs' meeting there.

South Korea: Protesters participate in an Occupy Seoul rally in support of the Occupy Wall Street protest against corporate power

Spain: Protesters practice yoga at the Puerta del Sol square in Madrid, before the demonstration held in the afternoon

Hong Kong: A man holds a placard during a protest to express anger at 'thfree-market capitalism' in Hong Kong on October 15

In Germany, where sympathy for southern Europe's debt troubles is patchy, the financial centre of Frankfurt and the European Central Bank in particular are expected to be a focus of marches called by the Real Democracy Now movement.

In South Korea, activists began gathering on the streets of Seoul with the country's paper, the Korea Herald reporting that a coalition of 30 local civic groups planned to hold a two-day protest in the main financial district of Yeouido and other parts of the capital.

The protesters, who have adopted slogans and imagery used by those in the U.S., say the rally is designed to motivate '99 percent of Koreans' to complain about the actions of the wealthiest 'one per cent', the paper said, 'The situation is the same in South Korea (as the U.S.), where the financial institutions have speculated to earn high profits in a short time, creating victims,' the coalition said in a statement.

Seoul police warned that damaging public facilities, occupying roads and assaulting police officers would not be tolerated. 'We will arrest those who stage illegal protests on the spot and also seek legal action even after the rally ends,' the Seoul Metropolitan Agency said in a release.

 A protester climbs on the bronze statue of bull during an Occupy Hong Kong rally outside the Hong Kong Exchange Square on Saturday

America: A protester screams as Seattle Police officers try to separate his arms linked with others hoping to prevent the removal of a tent pitched behind them in downtown Seattle's Westlake Park

Italy: Masked protesters wore masks and carried weapons as they took to the streets of Rome to protest

Germany: Participants protest during a demonstration at Brandenburg Gate in Berlin as the world rallies against corporate greed and inequality

Netherlands: Protestors hold placards outside the NYSE Euronext stock exchange in Amsterdam

Australia: Man holds a placard at the Occupy Melbourne protest as they gathered at City Square for the first day

In Canada, protests were planned for Saturday in cities including Montreal and Vancouver. In Toronto, demonstrators plan to gather at Canada's main stock exchange.

In New York's Wall Street, police have been accused of shocking brutality after videos emerged showing officers in punching Occupy Wall Street protesters and mowing them down on motorbikes.

As demonstrations turned bitterly violent, hundreds of protesters clashed with police as they marched in Manhattan - jumping over barriers, pushing over police scooters and blocking traffic. Officers in turn seem to have responded in the most draconian manner. In one clip a policeman appears intentionally to run over a protester, trapping his leg under his motorbike's back wheel.

The people of the world have spoken. Is anyone listening??