By Matthew Russell Lee
WALL STREET, October 12 -- On a blustery Wednesday afternoon in Lower Manhattan, a crowd gathered in front of JPMorgan Chase, blocked off by police.
At first it first no larger than past symbolic protests in front of Chase Manhattan Plaza. Then a phalanx of marchers came from Zuccotti Park out on Broadway, also contained by police. Occupy Wall Street had arrived. Click here for video by Inner City Press.
When JP Morgan and Chase Manhattan merged, community groups challenged them for "redlining" poor neighborhoods like the South Bronx, and even sued. In the case by Inner City Press about the merger, Morgan Chase tried as a Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation (SLAPP) suit to get its extensive attorneys fees paid. It failed, but received a massive bailout.
On October 12 it took police with a bullhorn to get the protesters to continue, on to Liberty Street and the Federal Reserve. The previous evening had seen a protest of Bank of America; around the corner is Capital One, seeking to become the fifth largest bank in the US by buying ING DIRECT.
Still escape direct protest is Goldman Sachs. "How do you get your hands around them?" one protester asked Inner City Press. How indeed.
Goldman underwrote many of the predatory mortgage bonds that led to the crisis, then got more bailout funds than anyone. But it gives campaign contributions to both parties, including through its executives to President Obama when he travels to New York. We will continue on this.
Occupy Wall Street marches by JPM Chase Oct 12, (c) MRLee
