Reposted from MichaelMoore.com
Thousands of protesters marched in Manhattan for the second day in a row on Wall Street today, to call for an end to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and for more government aid for struggling working people.
The group United for Peace and Justice organized the event, which started at noon at the corner of Broadway and Leonard Street. The marching protesters carried signs and puppets and chanted as they went down Broadway, walked past the New York Stock Exchange, and ended up in Battery Park.
‘We’re protesting the lack of jobs, the war in Iraq, we’re protesting just about everything that’s going wrong,’ said marcher Beloved Purville.
They also walked past companies that took federal money, including American International Group, which drew controversy for giving company executives bonuses after it received federal bailout money.
‘The people at the top are getting money and the people at the bottom, our bills keep going sky high,’ said marcher Gwen Debrow. ‘My electric bill is sky high, the MTA [transit] fare is going up when it should be at a standstill. People are really hurting in this country. We need a bailout.’
Protesters were also expressing concerns about President Barack Obama’s plan to remove troops from Iraq and relocate them to Afghanistan.
‘I personally am concerned that Obama is not a peace president,’ said protester John Schwen. ‘He is only taking a few troops out of Iraq and sending those off to Afghanistan. He’s escalating a war in Afghanistan that has historically been a lost cause for many other countries that have tried to invade.’
‘I’m not saying it’s a simple solution and I think Obama’s doing a lot of things right,’ said protester Donnie Rotkin.
Everyone who attended agreed that they were very concerned about the current state of the country.
While protesters gathered for several different issues…everyone could agree they’re very concerned about the current state of the country.
‘I’m concerned, I think, like everyone else, except for those who are working in the banks and given those huge bonuses,’ said protester Tim Sutton.
Demonstrators also gathered on Wall Street on Friday to denounce the federal economic bailouts.
Four people were arrested Friday for disorderly conduct.
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