Thursday, November 17, 2011

OWS Protesters Hope To Thwart NYSE Operations With Day of Action

I work a couple of blocks north from Zuccotti Park and the OWS had promised to make a mess of the local streets through protests and marches all day.

So far?

Not much of anything to report in and around the 9am hour from this vantage point. There were some demonstrations at Zuccotti Park and the plaza across the street from Zuccotti Park but traffic was flowing smoothly on Broadway and there was a boosted police presence in the area.

There was apparently an attempt to march on Wall Street and the NYSE, but the NYPD has effectively sealed off that area to protesters (lots of barriers and people must show ID to get into the vicinity). Major hassles for those working in that area, and I'm not sure how the subway stops (Wall Street has several stops within walking distance) are being treated, but I guess there's a big police presence there too. Apparently the protesters are getting in line to show ID - and slowing down the process, but it looks like things haven't been shut down.

Stay tuned as things could get interesting.

UPDATE:
Dozens have been arrested for attempting to block access to the Wall Street area.
Hundreds of protesters from Zuccotti Park clashed with the police as they tried to reach the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday morning, and at least 50 were arrested.

Protesters had vowed to prevent traders from reaching the stock exchange on Wall Street, and some traders did appear to have a hard time reaching the building. But the stock exchange opened for trading as usual at 9:30 a.m.

Many members of the group pushed through lines formed by police, waving signs and banging drums as they moved. The police started taking protesters into custody who had sat down on the street about a block away from the exchange.

“Sidewalk!” an officer shouted, shoving a protester out of the road.

Another protester held a sign nearby: “Tear down this Wall Street.” The demonstrators and the large deployment of police officers snarled traffic on streets around the exchange.
Gothamist is also live blogging the situation.

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