Largest-ever Occupy Seattle protest sends thousands into streets
SEATTLE - A large crowd of at least 3,000 protesters marched through the streets of downtown Seattle on Saturday afternoon, as some destroyed their bank cards and chanted, "Whose streets? Our streets!"
Later, protesters returned to Westlake Park and began setting up dozens of tents in defiance of a city order that bans camping in the urban center.
Organizers were hoping to get more than 500 tents set up before the night is over.
Earlier in the day, crowds at the Occupy Seattle protest at Westlake Park swelled from a few hundred to thousands of people, drawn by live music, an "open mike," sunny skies - and the chance to show their disgust with corporate greed.
The loosely organized protest group, like many others around the nation and the world, is showing its solidarity with the Occupy Wall Street movement in New York.
At about 3:15 p.m., protesters began marching toward Chase Bank offices in downtown Seattle, and their chants echoed throughout the city streets.
The size of the crowd swelled to 3,000 or more as the march continued toward Pike Place Market. About 200 protesters then sat down in the street, blocking traffic.
Several people in the crowd burned dollar bills or their bank cards in protest.
It was the largest in a series of Occupy Seattle protests that began two weeks ago and have continued ever since.
No arrests were immediately reported.
Protests also took place in Tacoma, Olympia, Spokane and in Vancouver, Wash., where about 700 people demonstrated against what they described as undue influence by corporations in American life.
The crowds comprised protesters from many walks of life, including labor activists, religious groups and antiwar protesters.
This is a developing news story. More information will be posted as it becomes available.
Later, protesters returned to Westlake Park and began setting up dozens of tents in defiance of a city order that bans camping in the urban center.
Organizers were hoping to get more than 500 tents set up before the night is over.
Earlier in the day, crowds at the Occupy Seattle protest at Westlake Park swelled from a few hundred to thousands of people, drawn by live music, an "open mike," sunny skies - and the chance to show their disgust with corporate greed.
The loosely organized protest group, like many others around the nation and the world, is showing its solidarity with the Occupy Wall Street movement in New York.
At about 3:15 p.m., protesters began marching toward Chase Bank offices in downtown Seattle, and their chants echoed throughout the city streets.
The size of the crowd swelled to 3,000 or more as the march continued toward Pike Place Market. About 200 protesters then sat down in the street, blocking traffic.
Several people in the crowd burned dollar bills or their bank cards in protest.
It was the largest in a series of Occupy Seattle protests that began two weeks ago and have continued ever since.
No arrests were immediately reported.
Protests also took place in Tacoma, Olympia, Spokane and in Vancouver, Wash., where about 700 people demonstrated against what they described as undue influence by corporations in American life.
The crowds comprised protesters from many walks of life, including labor activists, religious groups and antiwar protesters.
This is a developing news story. More information will be posted as it becomes available.
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