A group of demonstrators referring to themselves as “The 99 Percent” spent Thursday, Oct. 6 to Sunday, Oct. 9 in and around Downtown Tampa protesting the lack of accountability the government provides and demanding more economic equality.
Known as Occupy Tampa, the Tampa Bay General Assembly was inspired by Occupy Wall Street and was facilitated in Tampa by 25-year-old Jay Fortner.
A release from the Media Team of Occupy Tampa said more than 2,000 people were in attendance over the course of the demonstration’s 12-hour “Stop the Machine!” event in Lykes Gaslight Park on Thursday, Oct. 6.
John Vitali, who described himself as an “average working-man American,” explained why he had come to the demonstration saying, “We’re the 99 Percent that’s fed up with the one percent getting wealthy off the worker’s backs. The current economic system is not working.”
Officers of the Tampa Police Department circled the park in case the movement got out of hand, but no violence arose. Occupy Tampa’s Oct. 7 release explained, “The TBGA [Tampa Bay General Assembly] expresses its solidarity with law enforcers who are also part of the 99%. The group feels that the laws are unjust, but for now, it is important to show cooperation.”
After a lengthy rally Thursday afternoon, protesters lined in formation and began their march around the financial district, the momentum of which was inconvenienced by the numerous stoplights in the downtown area.
The organizers had planned to spend Thursday night in the park. When they were told by TPD that activists remaining in the park overnight would be arrested, demonstrators carefully weighed their options.
One woman, who chose to go by M.A.P.H. said that she would be calling her husband to discuss whether she’d spend the night. She had come that day voice the need she sees for “peaceful, radical change.”
By the end of Thursday, Occupy Tampa organizers collectively decided that risking arrest would not advance The 99 Percent’s peaceful agenda.
On Friday, about 300 protesters gathered and continued their march around the city center, making their way down Kennedy and lingering on the sidewalks in front of the University of Tampa campus.
By Saturday, the number of demonstrators had noticeably diminished, and even fewer turned out Sunday because of the rain.
Fortner and the organizers of Occupy Tampa are regrouping and focusing their efforts on the rally that has been scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 15 in Lykes Gaslight Park.
Channing Hailey can be reached at channinghl1@gmail.com.
Hello Readers,
Occupy Tampa started October 1st and has grown exponentially..
We have continuously occupied a park for 5 days now.
The most diverse bunch of peaceful humans you will ever meet.
The inequality of income in this country is appalling and disgusting.
Wall ST should be required to invest in America’s infrastructure.
Thank You Occupy Tampa for bringing the reality of our economic crisis to the streets