Place

Courtesy of Occupy Atlanta

Photographer:  Joeff Davis

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In Atlanta, another 20 people were arrested Saturday night when activists returned to Troy Davis Park to set up overnight tents again.  As dozens of police arrived, 2 campers remained on site while the rest of the group began to march around the park.  The department hemmed marchers in between police on motorcycles and horseback.

One police officer gunned his motorcycle into the group, injuring one person.  Activists surrounded the police shouting "Shame!" "The whole world is watching!" and "What about your pensions?" among other chants reported by Occupy Atlanta.  Two demonstraters injured by police were brought to the hospital.

Below is some AP footage.  Persons arrested include a Georgia State University professor, the staff member of a well-known local church, a photographer and journalist both wearing press credentials, and a customer exiting the Anatolia Cafe at 52 Peachtree Street NW.  The arrested restaurant patron, Matt Lane, told Occupy Atlanta he is now considering joining the movement.



On October 25th, Mayor Reed evicted non-violent campers from Troy Davis Park in a major police operation predicated on a concert permit and small generator.  The department arrested 52 people, including a State Senator, a former City councilman, and the head of a major youth foundation and regional branch for Rainbow PUSH.

Occupy Atlanta temporarily regrouped at the Martin Luther King National Historic Site.

The Reverend Jesse Jackson has been in Atlanta these past few days with activists.  Reverend Jackson and Occupy Atlanta activists temporarily took over the lobby of a bank and he also speaks out here on youtube at an Atlanta homeless shelter.

Reverend Jackson spoke out against bank foreclosures and economic conditions facing the 99%.  In the youtube at the link he states:

People are saying, "We need economic justice.  We need shared economic security.  We are free, but not equal."  And I would say to those who have not yet joined this movement - if you lost your home to foreclosure, you have a place here!  If you've lost [inaudible] you have a place here.  If you can't pay your student loan debt, you have a place here.  If you are a worker who can't get paid, you have a place here. If you are among the 15 million who don't have a job, you have a place here!  If you are among the 99%, you have a place here! 

Listeners in the youtube affirm Reverend Jackson with supportive statements like, "That's right!" and "We need you!" and wave their hands in consensus.

At the time of this posting, Occupy Atlanta is reportedly holding a Sunday General Assembly and marching back to Troy Davis Park to set up tents again.

Reverend Jackson was recently on Wall Street with activists blocking the removal of a medical tent.