I suspect that the problem is simply that the protesters are "occupying" the downtown areas of major cities. The pan handlers, winos, and crazies who can be found downtown in most of our major cities didn't just pack up and leave because a bunch of people have suddenly decided to join them. I imagine they are delighted to take part in communal dining experiences and were first in line for sleeping bags donated to the Occupiers. And I bet they love the chance to get back at the cops and throw a rock or two from the anonymity of the crowd.

Whatcha gonna do? :cool:

Those people also have a whole bunch of new "marks" to target.
Which is my guess as well. Thats where most of the crime is generated from.

Fromm Occupy Philadelphia ...
So they had a sit-in today ...


About 2 hours ago they had an update
@OccupyPhilly sit-in protesters are now being arrested at Comcast

The occupy brisbane protesters were moved on yesterday. They were told to go camp out in a park up the road where the facilities were better rather than right next to the war memorial, outside the main train station etc.

The OWS movement has spread to Australia? Somehow, I thought conditions there are much better than here. I'm surprised.

Thank God it has started to Snow in a big way....

I think they are Sam. It's been going on here for about or almost as long as in the US.

Most of the ones in Brisbane seem like hippies with no jobs to begin with though, so not sure if they're anything more than the usual suspects at this stage. Time will tell.

eta: no snow here. I think they should all go for a swim though.

Wimp! :p: We love snow in Colorado. We cross country ski across town. We camp in the snow. And we continue to Occupy Denver:

Cold rain (33 / 48) here in PDX has'nt affected Occupy Portland.

Apparently Denver is occupied by three tents and six tarps.

Apparently, Occupy KC is at the Liberty Memorial, which is by a humongous IRS building. I dunno...it seems like they could have picked a better spot, but I'm not out there, so I don't really have shit to say about it.

But we continue to hold the line. And today it was business as usual with everyone back in force.

I really don't believe we will give up so easily. Especially once the ax falls on November 23. Congress is out to destroy the entire fabric of the social safety net. Food stamps, housing, and medical care especially via Medicare and Medicaid are under attack.

A major redistribution of wealth is going to occur and it will be from the poor, the working class, and the lower middle class to the wealthy few and the corporate criminals.

How dare Congress dismantle Medicaid while they have voted themselves permanent free medical care for the rest of their sorry lives? The hypocrisy is simply stunning. The millionaires in Congress continue to feed at the so-called government teat at the same time as they write off millions of Americans as collateral damage.

The grab for money and power by the wealthy few at the expense of the many, facilitated by the bought and paid for congress has finally been too much for America. Rural Colorado has traditionally been a Conservative stronghold, yet tonight I saw a flier advertising a meeting to protest the corporate take over of Congress in the little town of Mancos, Colorado, population 1,500. If that's not grass roots, I don't know what is.

How dare Congress take food from the children of the unemployed who have been forced to go on food stamps? Meanwhile, our president met with corporate executives today for a $195.00 a plate lunch. GOP stands for guardians of privilege and the Democrats are no better despite all their pretenses. How dare our own government consign a significant portion of our children to eat nothing but ramen noodles? How dare they?

How dare Congress take the slender housing assistance of low income disabled Americans and low income seniors and turn us out on the streets while they remain royally aloof from the rest of us in their million dollar gated communities? Do you know how much impact housing assistance for seniors and the disabled has on the national debt? Perhaps one percent. If that. How dare Congress place ideology over human beings? How dare they?

Corporate Government is rapidly creating an ever expanding class of Americans with nothing to lose. Where are we going to go? Where else but the streets? Occupy America!

Beautifully put Sam.

The entire post is excellent but this last portion stood out for me.

I have long advocated guilliotines in Washington. I think the mere presence of one or two has the potential to remind these fukkers who they are responsible to.

My state, currently being run by a man who helped tank Lehman brothers, is a perfect storm of crazy state sell-offs and privatizations that will lead no where good. It will, however, line the pockets of Kasichk and his cronies. I don't know how these people sleep at night.

People with nothing to loose are dangerous.