What began as the protest Occupy Wall Street (OWS) in Manhattan’s financial district Sept. 17. has spread across the world and made its way to Honolulu.
The movement is to fight back against major banks, multinational corporations, Wall Street and the top richest 1 percent of the people, whom the protesters believe “write the rules of an unfair global economy,” according to occupywallst.org.
“There would already have been motions to change it,” Mike Medoff, 24, emergency medical technician major said about the effectiveness of the protesting.
Though the epic feat began in the Big Apple, it quickly made its way across the country and inspired protest sites in Los Angeles, Seattle, Honolulu, New Zealand, Oakland, Calif., Boston and Philadelphia.
Not only have they occupied the streets and parks, but even created “Occupy the Highway,” which is when the protesters marched from New York City to Washington D.C. on Nov. 22., according to occupywallst.org.
The protesters have made their stay in Thomas Square in Honolulu in early November, but were originally camping out at Magic Island before they were moved. They plan to stay as long as they can. Protesters hope to see change in the system, according to a Hawai‘i News Now article posted on Nov.27.
“It seems like a lot of (people are coming together) for a lot of different reasons,” said Ben Pries, 29, emergency medical technician major.
Though Occupy Wall Street and Honolulu is covered in the media, students on campus are still in the dark about the protests.
“I have no idea what it’s about, it’s gone on for too long and nothing really is coming out of it,” Medoff said.
The protest has been going on for more than two months and the police in big cities such as New York, Los Angeles and Philadelphia want the protesters evicted, and have made arrests as the protesters defy the law.
The protesting has even made it against a possible tuition raise at Baruch College, The City University of New York. Students were found chanting against the increase, according to occupywallst.org.
Occupy Honolulu protesters are expecting a similar raid to happen, like the ones that occurred in Oakland and New York, according to a KITV news article.
Police also arrested eight protesters the first night, and many left but later returned to the street corner.
“(I’ve mostly heard) through newspapers and radio. It seems to be the media giving skewed portrayal of it (Occupy Wall Street),” Pries said. “I think they (protesters) are approaching it pretty well.”
People of all ages, from 18 to 75 have joined the camp site at Thomas Square, according to an article posted by Honolulu Civil Beat. Those who are camping on the corner of Beretania Street and Ward have created a live stream for their Occupy Honolulu site.
Having created spin-offs all over the world, protesters will continue to spread their message even though there are arrests and evitctions happening at majority of the occupy sites.
Occupy Wall Street, Honolulu, Maui, New Zealand and most of the movement places have Facebooks, websites that they are using to get out their message. There is also media coverage for those who are interested in following the status of the protesting.
“Media coverage of what protesters are asking for, (we) don’t see much of that,” Pries said.
Currently, the demonstrators at Thomas Square are waiting to see how the Honolulu Police Department will handle any evictions.