Occupied Wall Street reaches 30 days.
In just one month, a movement raising US$300 million has managed to attract worldwide attention to its protest against the financial crisis and economic inequality; the UN Secretary-General expressed sympathy, and even the Chinese government spoke out in favor of issues raised by the protest. Check out the photo gallery.
The Occupy Wall Street movement gained new momentum on Monday, raising nearly $300 and gratifying the satisfaction of drawing global attention to its protest against the financial crisis and economic inequality. United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed sympathy for the protesters, and even the Chinese government, which refrains from commenting on the internal affairs of other countries, said that some of the issues raised by the American protesters are pertinent. The movement began on September 17th.
"We feel that there are issues raised by this movement that should be evaluated," said Liu Weimin, spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, in Beijing. "Through the media we know that there are many comments, discussions and reflections," Liu said. (State-run newspaper) Global Times He said in an editorial that the Chinese should "calmly observe the protest movement and the world situation and not be confused by extremist viewpoints."
Starting with a few dozen protesters who began camping out in protests against Wall Street in Zuccotti Park, Manhattan, the movement grew into demonstrations of hundreds of thousands of people not only in the largest cities in the United States, but also in Canada and Europe.
Ban said that the finance ministers of the G-20 countries, the group of the 20 most industrialized nations, currently meeting in Paris, should listen to the protesters. "Looking only at domestic economic issues will not provide answers to this very serious international economic crisis," Ban said. "This is what we see around the world, and it started on Wall Street; people are showing their frustrations and trying to send a very clear message around the world."
Last weekend, demonstrations took place in London, Rome, Seattle, Madrid, Paris, and several other cities. The largest protests occurred in Europe. In Rome, hundreds of rioters infiltrated a peaceful march of tens of thousands of people, causing an estimated €1 million ($1,4 million) in damage through acts of vandalism.
Across the United States, more than 350 people were arrested in six cities during the protests. On Monday, civil rights activist Cornel West is scheduled to appear in court later, after being arrested in Washington along with 18 other protesters while demonstrating on the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court.
In New York, more than $300 in cash was donated to the movement through the internet or by people who visited Zuccotti Park, said Bill Dobbs, who serves as press secretary for Occupy Wall Street.