SHAFAQNA (Shia News Association) —Demonstrators from all over the United States have gathered in Philadelphia for the Occupy National Gathering which culminates on Wednesday, Press TV reports.
Thousands of 99-percenters and war veterans on Tuesday organized coordinated protests ahead of July 4th, the 236th anniversary of US declaration of independence from Britain.
The veterans said that they almost were evicted on Tuesday before other Occupy protesters showed up in support.
“If you pick any newspaper here in America, they say: Oh, we worship the veterans, we love the veterans, but we have been able to turn it around on them really well,” said a Vietnam War veteran.
On Tuesday night, the veterans, who camped out on the main mall in Philadelphia, told Press TV about police harassment.
After harassment, police slowly realized that it would be a disaster to evict US war veterans on July 4th, the Independence Day.
The veterans also voiced their opposition to the United States’ warmongering policies.
Philadelphia is home to one of the original and strongest Occupy movements and still there are several Occupy encampments in the city. Local leaders say that the Occupy National Gathering has gone better than well so far.
“This is just a one step out of many. This doesn’t have necessarily a bearing on other occupiers,” an activist told Press TV.
The Occupy Wall Street movement began when a group of demonstrators gathered in New York's financial district on September 17, 2011 to protest against corruption, the unjust distribution of wealth in the country, and the excessive influence of big corporations on US policies.— www.shafaqna.com/english/
