Photos, Videos: Thousands Join Occupy Wall Street March Across Brooklyn Bridge
Foley Square is extremely packed with protesters at the moment, some initial guesstimates put the crowd somewhere in the neighborhood of 5,000 to 10,000. It's so crowded that it's difficult to move, and a few protesters have been arrested—one was bleeding from the mouth. There are reports that an NYPD officer injured his ankle; it's unclear what caused the injury. The police are not letting protesters into Foley Square from most sides, and arresting those who spill off the sidewalks across the street from the square. The Other 99 is operating a live video stream from the rally.
One protester at the park says, "I can actually feel the ground shaking." The original plan was for the rally to march over the Brooklyn Bridge, and we've heard nothing to suggest that isn't happening. We'll update with more information as the protest unfolds.
Update 6:10 p.m.: The march is underway, but it's proceeding very slowly because the NYPD has set up kettle nets along the route and they're not letting protesters though, except through a small number of openings.
And City Councilman Juamaane Williams just Tweeted, "I have just been #handcuffed & #arrested by the #NYPD, practicing #civildisobedience with #OccupyWallStreet & the #99percent." His Tweet before that was "We are sitting on the approach to the #BrooklynBridge, standing up for the #99percent and for #equality." You may recall that Williams was arrested after the West Indian-Amercian Day Parade by apparently overzealous cops who didn't believe he was a Council member.
Here's video of the crowd at Foley Square:
Update 6:25 p.m.:CBS2 is streaming live aerial footage of the entrance to the bridge. CBS's @LouYoungNY is reporting that Foley Sq protesters "are only being allowed to march north, i.e. away from Bk Bridge." At this point, it's unclear if the march is being allowed onto the pedestrian walkway on the bridge. The protesters, as they wind their way through the streets, are chanting, "Who took the money? Wall Street! And who's gonna pay? Wall Street!"
The Other 99 livestream just showed the side of a WPIX 11 News van, on which someone had written graffiti "TELL THE TRUTH." Some marchers are worried that the NYPD is planning to trap them by the bridge and make mass arrests. By some estimates, approximately 100 protesters have been arrested already, including Councilmember Williams, and have been loaded onto buses by the bridge.
Update 6:38 p.m.: The massing march is proceeding across the pedestrian walkway on the Brooklyn Bridge as planned. Thilman tells us, "Thousands are pouring onto the Brooklyn Bridge, many carrying battery-powered 'candles.' " There are unofficial reports that the Brooklyn-bound roadway is closed to cars. It's unclear where they're headed on the other side (Junior's, anyone?), but the protesters say the bridge march is intended to "culminate in a festival of light as we mark the two-month anniversary of the Occupy movement, and our commitment to shining light into our broken economic and political system."
Update 6:50 p.m.: Now, there are projections against buildings (including a city building and the Verizon building) that say "We are the 99!%" and then changes to "Look around, you are part of a global uprising! Happy birthday Occupy Movement"! Then it flashes the word "Occupy" and names every city that has an Occupy movement. It's an energizing moment—Thilman says, "I've never seen everyone so jubilant."
Cars are honking support to the marchers:
And Bucky Turco says the first wave of marchers have made it halfway across the Brooklyn Bridge.
Update 7:30 p.m.: Thilman tells us the crowd was singing, "Happy birthday, Dear Occupy." He adds there doesn't seem to be a police presence on the bridge and that he overheard a man say to his wife/companion, "...a crowded protest is no excuse for an inappropriate touch!"
Update 9:30 p.m.: Here are some videos of the the projections:
(On the scene reporting from James Thilman)
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to those people who are insulting the OWS supporters - do i take it then that you feel that everything right now is just fine then?
bobbyjfromtheuk12
http://gothamist.com/2011/11/1... Your time has come- Up Against the Wall Mother Fu*kers! Maybe if you fools stopped manipulating the market these people would still have jobs. And why don't you bastards occupy a gym while you're at it.
proudliberal1947
Three cheers for the OWS, judging by the comments the Anti American Gutless, Spineless, Cowardly right is in their usual state of FEAR and COWARDICE, their seeing REAL Americans do real things and DEMAND real action has these bozos on the right confused.
First OWS is thinking NOT allowed on the right. Second, OWS is Acting, the right believes sipping coffee and using bumper sticker is the answer. Third this really confuses the anal retentive right, the OWS HEROES aren't stating a position, and with out a position the Anti American COWARDS and Traitors have NO response, to validate this I offer different people giving different views on the OWS, and the ANTI American corporate OWNED RACIST republican can not understand this, as these are FREE THINKERS, on the right they are TOLD what to say.
Further proof of Ignorance is bliss, listen to the Choir Girl hannity that bitch is on the rag worse then any woman in her ninth month. Olliely, here is a ass wipe that can't even report what he sees, he thinks because he was in the back room doing face zipper time that people can't see the truth. Then you come to the king of the comedy hour the ill informed Brain Dead RACIST and Nazi the Ignorant COWARD limpdickbaugh the DRUG ADDICT.
So to the Heroes of OWS I say good job, now lets plan a TEN MILLION peoples March on Washington DC this summer, start identifying the Transportation systems now the Highways now, remember you tie up DC you will affect 5 States and then take over the CONGRESS and NOT move.
"...and they're not letting protesters th(r)ough, except through a small number of openings." So, they are letting protesters through, which makes this sentence moot.
Guest
Being that it was Foley Square, I was hoping to see Mankind or Cactus Jack or Dude Love come flying off the top of a building and land a mean elbow on somebody. Sigh.
Does anyone remember when the AFL-CIO hardhats used to bash the yippies? Now they're so pathetic and non-issue that they're willing to latch on to these vagrants to drum up support for their dying cause.
supercomf
please please please tell us... how much you just get for saying that?
chuzzlewit
also - TIM POOL? that was fucking awesome! we got a new way of doing things it seems.
"one was bleeding from the mouth." - Pointless mention of absolutely nothing used to imply something. "There are reports that an NYPD officer injured his ankle; it's unclear what caused the injury" - Pointless mention of absolutely nothing used to make sure the writer doen't implicate the protesters in the officer's injury.
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