Occupy Los Angeles Saturday October 1, 2011

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Occupy Los Angeles Publishes Plan for Saturday Protest

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Staff Reporters | September 30, 2011

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Photo: OccupyLA

UPDATE: OccupyLa has published it plans for parking and logistics for Saturday demo in downtown L.A.

As the inchoate but persistent Occupy Wall Street protests near completion of their second week, they are beginning to spread to numerous other cities including America's second largest, Los Angeles.

Activists are calling for a march and rally on L.A. City Hall on Saturday October 1.

Other protests are simmering in cities ranging from Boston, to San Francisco, Chicago, San Diego and even in Lexington, Kentucky.

The "leaderless" anti-capitalist protests began two weeks ago on Wall Street and while the crowds have not been very large, several hundred protesters remain persistent in their efforts, according to The Los Angeles Times.

Michael Moore and Susan Sarandon have dropped in. A seasoned diplomat dispenses free advice. Supporters send everything from boxes of food and clothes to Whole Foods gift cards. They even have their own app, for the legions of fans following them on iPhones and Androids.

Nearly two weeks into a sit-in at a park in Manhattan's financial district, the "leaderless resistance movement" calling itself Occupy Wall Street is at a crossroads. The number of protesters on scene so far tops out at a few hundred, tiny by Athens or Cairo standards. But the traction they have gained from run-ins with police, a live feed from their encampment and celebrity visits is upping expectations. How about some specific demands, a long-term strategy, maybe even … office space?

So far the group, which generally defines itself as anti-greed, has none of those.

On Thursday, however, the protests began to take on more defined form as some major labor unions joined the fray.  The Business Insider reports that the New York Transit Workers Union voted to support the demonstrations.   The powerful Teamsters as well as the union representing pilots from United Airlines have also thrown in their support and were seen among the New York protesters.

While even some sympathetic observers have criticized the demonstrators for not clearly articulating their demands, a 10 point program has finally emerged.