Occupy looks to redirect conversation with arrests at Wells Fargo

Protesters staged a foreclosure inside the bank at 1700 Market, and 12 were arrested.

0 comments

Occupy looks to redirect conversation with arrests at Wells Fargo

POSTED: Friday, November 18, 2011, 7:02 PM

 

Occupy Philly wants to turn the conversation away from the should-we-stay-or-should-we-go bickering over Dilworth Plaza and back to economic justice issues. This afternoon, they made an attempt to do just that at Wells Fargo at 1700 Market. One demonstrator entered the bank as "sheriff" at 4 p.m. and began posting foreclosure notices, and 11 others already inside the bank joined the protest, until they were detained by police. Before the demonstrators were carted off in police wagons at around 6 p.m., dozens of bicycle police had arrived on the scene to create a barricade, at one point pushing protesters back from bank's perimeter with their bicycles. 

Zachary Hershman, 26, a schoolteacher from West Philadelphia, said they had selected Wells Fargo because it had evicted more families in Philadelphia than any other bank. And, he added, "the purpose is to redirect the focus on Occupy Philly away from the logistical bullshit and back onto the economic crisis that has affected so many families in the city."

Sheila Maddali, an attorney assisting Occupy's legal collective, said that at least half the protesters arrested on Market Street bridge yesterday had been released and that so far the city had not set bail for any protesters that have been arrested in connection with the movement.

Posted by Samantha Melamed @ 7:02 PM  Permalink | Post a comment
0 comments
Comments  (0)


About this blog
Here at The Naked City, you'll find breaking news, analysis, gossip and surprises about everything from crime and politics to the beating pulse of city life itself. We're good listeners, too:

Daniel Denvir: daniel.denvir@citypaper.net

Ryan Briggs: ryan.briggs@citypaper.net

Samantha Melamed: samantha@citypaper.net

The Naked City on Twitter: @CPNakedCity @danieldenvir @rw_briggs @samanthamelamed

Topics:
Blog archives:
Past Archives: