Video : NYPD Officer Hitting Protestors With Baton
The peaceful demonstrations in New York City have resulted in numerous arrests over the last three weeks.
The roving protestors call Zucotti Park their home base. From Zucotti Park they have led demonstrations on the Brooklyn Bridge and around City Hall.
The protests represent the frustrations of many over the increasing influence of money in the form of corporations over the political system. Perhaps more accurately it is not the increasing influence, but rather the existing control special interests currently have over the legislative process in our nation's capitol and in state legislatures around the country.
It represents anger over the destructive trading practices on Wall Street that occurred prior to our current recession that greatly contributed to our economic downfall.
While hundreds have already been arrested during the barely three week old protest not one single trader suffered the same fate in the wake of the economic turmoil that began in 2008.
While the banks were bailed out and quickly returned to profitability and the practice of distributing obscene bonuses to executives was renewed with vigor, the rest of the nation is still suffering.
In the first official statement from the protest, organizers defined their purpose, "As one people, united, we acknowledge the reality: that the future of the human race requires the cooperation of its members; that our system must protect our rights, and upon corruption of that system, it is up to the individuals to protect their own rights, and those of their neighbors; that a democratic government derives its just power from the people, but corporations do not seek consent to extract wealth from the people and the Earth; and that no true democracy is attainable when the process is determined by economic power. We come to you at a time when corporations, which place profit over people, self-interest over justice, and oppression over equality, run our governments. We have peaceably assembled here, as is our right, to let these facts be known."
Reports of the liberal use of pepper spray have been verified and the following video verifies the use of force by the NYPD:
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