Several thousand activists, united under the “Flood Wall Street” banner, have hit the streets of New York City’s financial district, risking arrest for participating in an unauthorized gathering three years after the prominent Occupy Wall Street protest.
23 September 2014
“Flood Wall Street” protesters occupied Broadway for nearly eight hours, with at least two hundred staging a sit-in while several thousand others joined them in support.
A total of 102 people were arrested for disobeying police, according to ABC, after officers ordered those sitting on the corner of Wall Street and Broadway to disperse. Two others were arrested earlier for disorderly conduct.
The arrests were orderly marked contrast to the violent arrests during Occupy Wall Street, and several people commented today on police restraint.
Official #NYPD | 104 arrests total for the #FloodWallStreet action. pic.twitter.com/k9WfDWssaY
— greg jeske (@gregjeske) September 23, 2014
The sit-in, cordoned off earlier, has been cleared, with police escorting those detained into the buses.
The sit-in has been cleared #FloodWallStreetpic.twitter.com/EdKhzWo2an
— RT America (@RT_America) September 23, 2014
Supporters who were standing behind the barricades and police lines are now going to 100 Center Street, "the tombs,” where the arrested are likely to be arraigned.
Just a small group left #FloodWallStreetpic.twitter.com/eo9AyzyxE7
— RT America (@RT_America) September 23, 2014
There is a line of arrested protesters who are not boarding the first bus, which means it is probably close to full. DCPI told Vice News that there have been about 50 arrests, and two were arrested earlier in the day for disorderly conduct. The 50 were arrested for refusing to disperse.
22 September 2014
A police bus is slowly filling up with those being arrested. There is still a good number of people sat in the middle of Broadway facing Wall Street.
Captains Planets taken away together #FloodWallStreetpic.twitter.com/Cln6Z38yeP
— Will Dizard (@willdizard) September 22, 2014
Crowd and line of detainees are chanting they'll be back "as long as it takes" #FloodWallStreetpic.twitter.com/EzhXkyJJ8l
— RT America (@RT_America) September 22, 2014
A supporter of the protesters told Vice News that she noticed a difference in how today's protest was handled by officers, compared to the police under the Bloomberg administration. She remarked how incredible it was that demonstrators were able to take to the streets today.
This protester is on assisted breathing. Cops must know it's not going to look good when they cuff him. pic.twitter.com/OPanAKLl2x
— japhetweeks (@japhetweeks) September 22, 2014
Multiple people are being arrested at once now #FloodWallStreetpic.twitter.com/JH71QeePp7
— RT America (@RT_America) September 22, 2014
NYPD buses arrived, people starts to get arrested #FloodWallStreetpic.twitter.com/VJuirKN92t
— 15MBcn_int (@15MBcn_int) September 22, 2014
A long line of arrests in the name of climate justice #floodwallstreetpic.twitter.com/A5ZVmFqpjD
— OccupyMusicians.com (@weoccupymusic) September 22, 2014
The polar bear has been arrested by the NYPD #FloodWallStreetpic.twitter.com/R0RLax87Ou
— RT America (@RT_America) September 22, 2014
Polar bear arrested #FloodWallStreetpic.twitter.com/dVCSPpMP2Z
— Christopher Robbins (@ChristRobbins) September 22, 2014
The polar bear had been arrested! How many cops does it take to arrest a bear? protesters ask. #FloodWallStreet
— japhetweeks (@japhetweeks) September 22, 2014
Police have begun detaining people. At least two men have been walked backwards through the crowd.
Protesters are chanting “Hands up, Don't Shoot!”
Here's the first arrest after police warnings were issued #FloodWallStreetpic.twitter.com/TaSDp3YEOz
— RT America (@RT_America) September 22, 2014
“This is what democracy looks like!” the crowd chants. Police from the Tactical Assistance Response Unit are at the scene.
NYPD vans moving in #FloodWallStreetpic.twitter.com/OLNHnjgEWV
— RT America (@RT_America) September 22, 2014
"Who do you serve? Who do you protect?" the crowd is chanting to the police.
The polar bear is sitting in the front row. No arrests yet.
Police now ready to arrest protesters. pic.twitter.com/Sm5ybCNmN8
— japhetweeks (@japhetweeks) September 22, 2014
Protesters are chanting "Our Streets! Our Streets!" Police officers are not making any direct moves, but at least one is recording on camera those sitting on the street.
The several hundred demonstrators are also shouting “Climate Justice! Climate Justice!"
Police have warned the crowd, for the first time, to disperse or face arrest. The organizers, however, say they are planning to stay as long as possible.
The crowd that's decided to sit-in as police close in #FloodWallStreetpic.twitter.com/gMqdGqdpkS
— RT America (@RT_America) September 22, 2014
Pizza has arrived for the several hundred protesters still standing on the intersection of Broadway and Wall Street.
They're passing out pizza again at #FloodWallStreetpic.twitter.com/ajItjFAB8Q
— Hunter Walker (@hunterw) September 22, 2014
A few hundred protesters are still on Broadway in front of Wall Street, with police – some wearing helmets – in front and to either side but keeping their distance. A few people told VICE News that it is their intention to stay until they are arrested.
After the protesters tried to push through the barricades and enter Wall Street earlier this afternoon, police officers pushed back, punched, and sprayed at least three people with pepper spray.
Police pepper spray #FloodWallStreet demonstrators (photos via @ajplus video) pic.twitter.com/JlVfMGdGXZ
— Rachael P (@plussone) September 22, 2014
A witness to the pepper spraying incident told RT that he saw a male holding his face after being sprayed, adding that he was trying not to rub it in.
Police have now pepper sprayed #FloodWallStreet protestors. https://t.co/knyUxPk97e
— AJ+ (@ajplus) September 22, 2014
Police officers are behind barricades in front of the protesters facing Wall Street, and about half a block on Broadway to the left and right of them. For the moment they are waiting.
The Angry Pacifist is taking a nap in front of a line of riot police on Broadway #FloodWallStreetpic.twitter.com/nlhnIZHLAD
— Jeff Rae (@jeffrae) September 22, 2014
Protesters positioned on the corner of Wall Street and Broadway are doing a round of mic checks as police officers stand by the barricades with rings of plastic handcuffs dangling from their belts. A large group is sitting down again.
A mass #FloodWallSreet meeting is happening now in the middle of Broadway and Wall St. #PeopleClimateMarchpic.twitter.com/8cFsvNvTQh
— Jeff Rae (@jeffrae) September 22, 2014
The current sit-in near Trinity Church #FloodWallStreetpic.twitter.com/T2f7CYrUt3
— RT America (@RT_America) September 22, 2014
The #FloodWallStreet throws purple powder into the air pic.twitter.com/qRMpdKEOIG
— RT America (@RT_America) September 22, 2014
Signs on the wheelchairs of two protesters #FloodWallStreetpic.twitter.com/ccscdcLIDz
— RT America (@RT_America) September 22, 2014
FloodWallStreet protesters are standing in mass on Broadway facing Wall Street chanting, "Banks Got Bailed Out, We Got Sold Out!" They have been protesting on Broadway for five hours since they staged a sit-in and halted traffic during around noon time.
Back at #FloodWallStreet, the crowd has moved further up Broadway and near Wall St. pic.twitter.com/nKQmfDGtmc
— RT America (@RT_America) September 22, 2014
NYPD in riot gear at #FloodWallStreetpic.twitter.com/rY5bWXfbzQ
— Alexey Yaroshevsky (@Yaro_RT) September 22, 2014
Thousands of protesters streamed into New York’s financial district Monday afternoon and promptly sat down in the streets.
See thousands of climate change activists SHUT DOWN Wall Street http://t.co/lL4zUPppMW#FloodWallStreet
— Ruptly (@Ruptly) September 22, 2014