Arrested Occupy Protestors Live in Mansions

[Townhallsavoy]

I know this is a small representation of the protestors, but still, funny none the less. 

My brother-in-law is participating in the Occupy protests in Austin, Texas.  Apparently, he doesn't like coming home every Christmas to his parents' (my in-laws) big house in Mountain Brook. 

Many “Occupy Wall Street” protesters arrested in New York City reside in more luxurious homes than some of their rhetoric might suggest, a Daily Caller investigation has found.

For each of the 984 Occupy Wall Street protesters arrested in New York City between September 18 and October 15, police collected and filed an information sheet recording the arrestee’s name, age, sex, criminal charge, home address and — in most cases — race. The Daily Caller has obtained all of this information from a source in the New York City government.

Among addresses for which information is available, single-family homes listed on those police intake forms have a median value of $305,000 — a far higher number than the $185,400 median value of owner-occupied housing units in the United States.

Some of the homes where “Occupy” arrestees reside, viewed through Google Maps and the Multiple Listing Service real estate database, are the definition of opulence.

Using county assessors and online resources such as Zillow.com, TheDC estimated property values and rents for 87 percent of the homes and 59 percent of the apartments listed in the arrest records.

Even in the nation’s currently depressed housing market, at least 95 of the protesters’ residences are worth approximately $500,000 or more. (RELATED SLIDESHOW: Opulent homes of the ’99 percent’)

The median monthly rent for those living in apartments whose information is readily available is $1,850.

Of the 984 protesters arrested, at least 797 are white. The median age of “Occupy” protesters taken into custody is 27 years.

Ten demonstrators were arrested more than once. The vast majority of the arrests, it should be noted, were for nonviolent offenses.

The arrest intake documents show that arrestees came to New York from all over the country but particularly from the Northeast.

Criminal charges ranged from “loitering while wearing a mask” and “failure to move along” to “violent behavior” and other more serious charges such as “assault 2 [second-degree assault] caus[ing] physical injury to police [or] firemen.” There was also one charge of “sex abuse 3 [third-degree].” Hundreds were arrested on October 1 for obstructing traffic on the Brooklyn Bridge.

While it would not be fair to conclude that the arrested protesters are fully representative of a movement that is not completely understood, this information forms the most complete snapshot yet of the demonstrations’ more militant participants.

It also reinforces the persistent critique of protesters as entitled, upper-class agitators with few legitimate grievances.

London’s Daily Mail newspaper, for example, recently highlighted signs of wealth among the throngs in Zuccotti Park.

“Sleeping beside the hardcore activists are increasing numbers of wealthy students turning up to make the most of the party atmosphere, drugs and free food,” reporters Paul Bentley and Micela McLucas wrote in October. “While they dress down to blend in, the youngsters’ privileged backgrounds are revealed by glimpses of expensive gadgetry or the absent minded mention of their private schools during heated political debates.”

“I think that it’s accurate to say that our supporters come from all backgrounds,” Patrick Bruner, the operator of OccupyWallStreet.org, a website dedicated to help organize and spread information about the protests, told TheDC when asked about participants from wealthier backgrounds. “That said, a (non-random) survey on our site revealed that our visitors literally are the 99% in regards to economic realities.”

The national median home value of $185,400 reflects U.S. Census statistics from the years 2005 through 2009, the last year data were available.

TheDC was able to estimate home values and apartment rents for 659 of the 972 residences. Thirteen were in university dormitories; six were post office boxes; four were addresses in foreign countries. Many addresses proved to be nonexistent, and a few were not provided to police.

TheDC has elected not to publish personally identifying information.

Gracie Ferrell and Meg Gasvoda contributed reporting to this story.



Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2011/11/02/nyc-arrest-records-many-occupy-wall-street-protesters-live-in-luxury/#ixzz1cZl14MiH

The slide show in the link is where the funny is.

[RWS]

What is all of this occupy shit, anyway? I mean, what is the purpose? There is no clear concise message. It almost seems like a platform to support wealth re-distribution. They're just kind of all over the place with what they're saying, you can't really nail down what the objective is.

Somebody please explain this to me......right after you get off my lawn.

[Townhallsavoy]

That's the laugh.  It has no purpose.  They claim to have no leadership as if that's a good thing.  I don't know if that's a socialist element from the select few advocating socialism, but that is one of the claims. 

The Occupy movement could be good if the direction was towards actual corruption in Washington and Wall Street.  Lord knows there's enough out there to shout about. 

But because they've left it open ended, the idiots have made the most noise.  Instead of making a difference, they're yelling about families making a decent living and enjoying their spoils. 

[RWS]

That's the laugh.  It has no purpose.  They claim to have no leadership as if that's a good thing.  I don't know if that's a socialist element from the select few advocating socialism, but that is one of the claims. 

The Occupy movement could be good if the direction was towards actual corruption in Washington and Wall Street.  Lord knows there's enough out there to shout about. 

But because they've left it open ended, the idiots have made the most noise.  Instead of making a difference, they're yelling about families making a decent living and enjoying their spoils.

OK, I just wanted to make sure I wasn't being a slack-jawed uneducated bammer.

I agree that if they actually organized themselves properly and had a clear message and a purpose, maybe they could accomplish something. MAYBE. But instead, they're just going to sit in front of some buildings being hippies because the rich people are ruining this nation? The sad thing is, they don't even understand that. If they did, they wouldn't be doing what they are doing. This whole occupy thing accomplishes nothing. To some extent, those morons camping out are what's wrong with the country.

For that matter, if you have the spare time to sit around for days or weeks on end without going to work, then you are probably unemployed, and only adding to the problems this country faces.

[wreckingball]

What is all of this occupy shit, anyway? I mean, what is the purpose? There is no clear concise message. It almost seems like a platform to support wealth re-distribution. They're just kind of all over the place with what they're saying, you can't really nail down what the objective is.

Somebody please explain this to me......right after you get off my lawn.

http://occupywallst.org/about/

[RWS]

http://occupywallst.org/about/

Yeah, I read that before I asked. It still doesn't make any fucking sense.

We don't live in some middle eastern country with a tyrant for a leader. The people in Cairo were pretty much rioting. I think somewhere near 1,000 people died. They wanted their leader to leave office over civil liberties such as freedom of speech, real elections, brutality by the regime, etc etc. Real shit. The people in the middle-east rose up to have a voice in the equivelant to our civil rights movement here in the US. The stated "goal" and reasoning of all of this occupy bullshit pales in comparison.

Over here, they are pissed off because they think, in a nutshell, that people who are successful should share the wealth with everybody else. If they're pissed over the economy, Wall Street isn't exactly the best target. They don't even understand it well enough to know who they should be going after, and that there isn't a one stop shop of blame. The responsibility for the economic meltdown is spread out over two decades and numerous administrations. I would like to see more widespread demographics on all of these groups. I bet you would find alot of 20-something folks who are sucking on the government, or parental teat in the first place and think everything should be handed to them accordingly.

[RWS]

The more I read, the dumber this whole thing gets. For example, they held a sit-in at the headquarters of Comcast in Philly because "the gleaming Comcast tower represents excessive wealth in a city with many blighted neighborhoods". So, lets forget all the people who work in that building. Don't think about the fact that Comcast is giving those people jobs to support their families and giving them money to spend in the economy. Forget all of that. No, this is a really nice building and shouldn't be here because it is so nice. Comcast should operate out of some dumpy warehouse, all while giving the people of Philadelphia the money that they earned.

In Boston, they are protesting because Massachusetts is giving out student loans to people who want to go to college, but there are no jobs for them when they graduate.

"There are so many students that are trying to get jobs and go on with their lives," said Sarvenaz Asasy of Boston, who joined the march after recently graduating with a master's degree and $60,000 in loan debt. "They've educated themselves and there are no jobs and we're paying tons of student loans. For what?"

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/11/02/occupy-oakland-protesters-target-busy-port/

That's the risk you chose to take when YOU decided to go to college. That's the risk you chose to take when YOU decided to take out a student loan. Nobody forced you to do it. I wasn't aware that the state is supposed to be waiting outside the door of your commencement with a job offer in hand for you. Bottom line, they have buyers remorse. Last I checked, it is up to you to go find a job somewhere. I know how to solve the problem. The state and federal government should just stop giving out low interest student loans. I would be very interested in what field this person has a degree in. I'm not saying jobs are exactly abundant, but a college educated person with a master's degree should be able to land somewhere making at least $40k a year.

[Snaggletiger]

I'm still paying on my student loan from law school.  I left a job I had been at for 15 years and went back to school.  Cashed in my 401K and depleted my savings and still had to take out a loan.  Needless to say, the Bar exam was just a wee bit stressful.  Once completed, me and another lawyer decided to open our own firm.  We worked with a bank to get a line of credit, found some office space and started buying office equipment and furniture.  We weren't in any phone books yet so we did some radio and TV spots to get our name out there. 

It may not be much but I'm proud of the business we've built over the last 10+ years.  The bottom line though, is I never once had the thought, "When I get out of school, who is going to give me a job?"  Same thing when I got out of Auburn.  I made a list of potential employers, got up a little resume (Half page) and set out every morning to bang on doors and set up interviews. That's how it works.  If you want to work, get off your ass and go find work.  If what you want to do is not available, then find other work until something opens up in your field. 

Am I missing something here?  Am I wrong to have this mindset and if so, when did it change?  I didn't get the memo.

[Townhallsavoy]

I think a lot of the Occupy movement isn't centered on handouts.  Many have grown tired of the growing disparity between the rich and the poor.  The abolishment of the middle class. 

But their focus is wrong if you ask me.  The government can't fix the situation.  The government is the 1%, and from what I've seen from the Occupy movement, it looks like they're pandering to fat cats to get rid of fat cats. 

There should be less restrictions and regulations on businesses just trying to make it.  Stronger enforcement of laws that prevent business from hurting people with scandals (see Enron).  And more difficulty for people without credit to purchase large items on credit. 

But that's just my opinion.

[RWS]

I'm still paying on my student loan from law school.  I left a job I had been at for 15 years and went back to school.  Cashed in my 401K and depleted my savings and still had to take out a loan.  Needless to say, the Bar exam was just a wee bit stressful.  Once completed, me and another lawyer decided to open our own firm.  We worked with a bank to get a line of credit, found some office space and started buying office equipment and furniture.  We weren't in any phone books yet so we did some radio and TV spots to get our name out there. 

It may not be much but I'm proud of the business we've built over the last 10+ years.  The bottom line though, is I never once had the thought, "When I get out of school, who is going to give me a job?"  Same thing when I got out of Auburn.  I made a list of potential employers, got up a little resume (Half page) and set out every morning to bang on doors and set up interviews. That's how it works.  If you want to work, get off your ass and go find work.  If what you want to do is not available, then find other work until something opens up in your field. 

Am I missing something here?  Am I wrong to have this mindset and if so, when did it change?  I didn't get the memo.

I'm only 28, and I think this occupy stuff is total horseshit. I was always taught that if you work hard, and you don't do stupid shit, you will be ok (in a nutshell). That strategy has worked out OK so far. I doubt there is that much of an age gap between me and the majority of these protesters.

Even if your business isn't much, you can still have pride in knowing it is something you worked for and that you built. You didn't ask for a handout. You went out there and worked for it. What these people do not realize is that THEY are part of the problem, not the solution. They are perpetuating the idea that those who have worked for something should share with the rest of the class. You're fresh out of college and bitching that you can't find a job, and you have bills to pay? McDonalds is hiring. Go dig a ditch somewhere. Do some landscaping work. While that line of work may be beneath you, it pays. I worked on a farm after school and during the summer from ages 12-15. I worked part time elsewhere from 16-18. I've had a full time job since the day I turned 18.

These fuckers that are whining simply have no work ethic, and no desire to attain a work ethic when they think everything should just fall in their laps. They don't want to earn anything. They want to simply show up, then get a pay check. They want everything done for them, because that is probably the way it has been for them their whole lives. That has to be really frustrating to those "1%" folks who are wealthy because they have a career and worked for what they have. Logic like this is going to ruin this fucking country worse than it already is.

[RWS]

I think a lot of the Occupy movement isn't centered on handouts.  Many have grown tired of the growing disparity between the rich and the poor.  The abolishment of the middle class. 

But their focus is wrong if you ask me.  The government can't fix the situation.  The government is the 1%, and from what I've seen from the Occupy movement, it looks like they're pandering to fat cats to get rid of fat cats. 

There should be less restrictions and regulations on businesses just trying to make it.  Stronger enforcement of laws that prevent business from hurting people with scandals (see Enron).  And more difficulty for people without credit to purchase large items on credit. 

But that's just my opinion.

Sure, but whose fault is it that the middle class is fading? I'm certainly not letting the government or politicians off the hook in entirety, but we've dug this hole ourselves, to some extent. The biggest problem here is, if their real message is what you think it is, is that it is being lost in translation to these people on the streets.

[Snaggletiger]

 Just a snippet from a Fox News article on the Oakland protests.  So, these assholes shut down one of the busiest ports in America, causing untold financial loss.  Now, they're breaking in and destroying property and attacking the police.  Those rich, snooty policemen.

 
OAKLAND, Calif. –  A protest that shut down the Port of Oakland to show the broadening reach of the Occupy Wall Street movement ended in violence when police in riot gear arrested dozens of protesters who broke into a vacant building, shattered downtown windows and set blazes along the way.

At least four protesters were hospitalized Thursday with various injuries, including one needing stitches after fighting with an officer, police said. Several officers were also injured but didn't need hospitalization.
 
Thousands of 'Occupy Oakland' Protesters Take to Streets

Protesters cause major disruptions, successfully shut down city's port

November 2, 2011: Thousands of Occupy Wall Street protestors march from downtown Oakland, Calif., to the port of Oakland.


"We go from having a peaceful movement to now just chaos," protester Monique Agnew said.



Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/11/02/occupy-oakland-protesters-target-busy-port/#ixzz1cf42iEVI

[AUTiger1]

One word: "napalm"

[GH2001]

Bunch of spoiled, entitled brats/bums who just want to whine and demand everything for free. Its a weird mix of anarchy and communism.

[GH2001]

Just a snippet from a Fox News article on the Oakland protests.  So, these assholes shut down one of the busiest ports in America, causing untold financial loss.  Now, they're breaking in and destroying property and attacking the police.  Those rich, snooty policemen.

 
OAKLAND, Calif. –  A protest that shut down the Port of Oakland to show the broadening reach of the Occupy Wall Street movement ended in violence when police in riot gear arrested dozens of protesters who broke into a vacant building, shattered downtown windows and set blazes along the way.

At least four protesters were hospitalized Thursday with various injuries, including one needing stitches after fighting with an officer, police said. Several officers were also injured but didn't need hospitalization.
 
Thousands of 'Occupy Oakland' Protesters Take to Streets

Protesters cause major disruptions, successfully shut down city's port

November 2, 2011: Thousands of Occupy Wall Street protestors march from downtown Oakland, Calif., to the port of Oakland.


"We go from having a peaceful movement to now just chaos," protester Monique Agnew said.



Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/11/02/occupy-oakland-protesters-target-busy-port/#ixzz1cf42iEVI

These are no longer a "peaceful protest" anymore. The police should shut them down. Thats just my opinion.

[AUJarhead]

These are no longer a "peaceful protest" anymore. The police should shut them down. Thats just my opinion.

I hope this winter gives all of the ones in the north hypothermia.

[GarMan]

Leave the deadbeats alone...  Once they run out of pot, they'll go home. 

[Snaggletiger]

Leave the deadbeats alone...  Once they run out of pot, they'll go home.

They have pot?  You know, I always sort of agreed with some of their views.  Maybe I need to check them out a little closer.

[AUJarhead]

They have pot?  You know, I always sort of agreed with some of their views.  Maybe I need to check them out a little closer.

You just want to get down there and start giving hand jobs out like you do at an Auburn tailgate.

[Saniflush]

You just want to get down there and start giving hand jobs out like you do at an Auburn tailgate.

He's a giver