Since the populist-themed Occupy Wall Street movement’s start in Manhattan earlier this year, the campaign against corporate greed and income inequity has burst forth across the nation.
When the on Oct. 5, roughly 100 people gathered near Bushnell Park to join the crusade. Since then, the protest has sprouted more and more factions across the country.
“Occupy Wall Street” has lead not just to “Occupy Hartford,” but to “Occupy Boston,” “Occupy San Diego,” and “Occupy Des Moines,” to name a few.
Though the drive against economic disparity is bursting forth, observers still ponder exactly what the protesters’ thrust is.
“I’m not sure if everybody understands what they’re protesting,” said Fairfield resident Ann Nigro. “It seems like everybody’s jumping on the bandwagon.”
Fellow local Jeanne Bartkow doesn’t think the protesters even know what they’re message is.
“I think it’s still a pool where they’re collecting their thoughts,” she said. “It seems like a lot of people who want to work.”
She added that when the protesters do formulate a concrete message, people will listen – thanks to the movement’s civil demonstrations.
“From everything I’ve seen on the news, they seem peaceful, respectful – they clean up the parks after themselves,” Bartkow said.
“I think it’s fine for people to come together to protest whatever they want to protest,” she said.
Nigro remained skeptical.
“They seem like educated people...but what do they really want?” she said. “They don’t know how to get it.”
