‘Occupy’ Protests Cost Cities Millions

Whatever the cost to the cities, occupiers = taxpayers. They are paying for their own cities.
What about multimillion dollar defense and financial firms that have sucked millions of taxpayer dollars FROM cities? There is no report on that – yet protestors are being blamed for “costing” cities.

NOPE. Sorry, you got it wrong. Maybe the focus of the mainstream media needs to change? Let’s talk about that cost. Huh?

Excuse me, but unless the protestors asked for the cities to provide anything extra beyond what the cities normally do then the cities CHOSE to do extra things that cost them extra money. That is NOT the fault of the protestors.

Zora is 100% correct, TRILLIONS have been lost on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, while hundreds of BILLIONS were lost when the financial industry took one too many gambles at taxpayer expense in a game of high-stakes poker using mortgage-backed securities as the play currency.

Let’s worry about the big fish before we worry about the guppies. Let’s worry about corporate executives who’ve seen their INFLATION-ADJUSTED income explode by over 275% in the last 30 years before we worry about union workers or minimum-wage workers who’ve been economically stagnant in that same span of time. Let’s worry about people who actually control enough wealth to bring national economies to their knees.

POSTED BY: B-K KNIGHTRIDER | OCTOBER 27, 2011, 5:01 PM+++How about the extra police needed to keep these dumbasses in line. You people can be so stupid…

why dosen’t ABC comment on the fact that this “occupy wall street” thing is being goaded on and paid for by an X Accorn excec. and billionaire Soros, the same one that starts these riots for his own gains. He’s made billions by taking down countries, his own words.

The problem here is simple. We are witnessing another symptom of the “tragedy of the commons”. If we all own this property then we should all be able to do what we want with it… or on it. The problem is, we actually do not own it, even though we are forced to pay for it (taxes). The government is stuck in a catch 22 because it needs to make all sides happy if it is to remain relevant. Those that want to protest and those that want to get to work both have equal right to the use of public property. The rest of us naively sit and bicker about which side is right.

Neither side is right in this issue. The problem is that the concept of public property is absolutely WRONG and causes us these sorts of headaches all the time. Do yourselves all a favor and start exploring what free societies are and how anarchic systems, based on property rights, solve these headaches. Until this happens you all sound like a bunch of spoiled babies fighting about which side mommy and daddy government should take. Government is the problem… not the people protesting or the people wanting to get to work. ;)

All I can say. is Politicians and Police and all public employees have fogotten that they are nothing but SERVANTS! and I’ll be damned if some servant thinks it can do what ever it feels like. I say time to show them how a servant ought to act! first by puting them in their place, by any means neccassary. and yes to all you dum dums out there. It’s plain ENGLISH, by any MEANS NECCASSARY. I was a public servant too, a United States Marine to be exact and I knew that the highest ranknig member was from the richest citizen to the poorest of bums on the corner. Since even a Homeless U.S. Citizen is above the United States President. He is under their feet for all reasons in accordance to the United States Constition. I may be at the bottom of the tax bracket, but guess what. the servant ought to be beneath my feet. and before anyone of you gets all rowdy. don’t forget that the servants only pay back a fraction of what they take in taxes, which only serves to pay them later.

Occupy protest cost cities millions!?!? That’s the local government fault — it’s their choice. Truth of the matter, it’s the police that are causing all of the problems, not the protestors!! And, Mr. Mainstream Media, you are very much aware of that fact!

These protesters have a legitimate gripe as do I, likely you, as do the rest of the mere mortals in our society. It doesn’t get any more American than this. I am grateful that there are people such as these protesters willing to put themselves out there in an effort to represent me. Thanks!

I’m sure Scott Olsen was carrying around a big neon sign that stated he was a veteran. What makes you guys think that vets are not capable of making dumb decisions and should be excused for making them?

I wish the protestors would presented the media with a focused script. Narrow things down, clearly define things, and have a list of demands. In the 60′s each protest had a single message. Each protest had a single demand. Come on, focus, people.

The banker cost us BILLIONS & what you see as OWS movment is tip of iceberg there is army of thousands to support this movment they just waching how the1% reacts to freedom of speech.

At least the tea party has respect for other peoples property and were not arrested in mass numbers.

I have always loved it when the circus comes to town all the clowns and tattoed people with piercings. They should sell more popcorn at these events.

I have to say I got some grins last night when my husband and I were driving down Hawthorne Blvd. in Torrance, CA last night. Torrance is a relatively affluent suburb of Los Angeles, and is about a forty-five minute bus-ride away from downtown LA, where most of the SoCal “Occupy Wall Street” protesters are camped out.

I’ll be darned if there weren’t about a dozen people standing on the curb near Torrance’s “restaurant row,” waving signs and otherwise trying to draw attention. I guess the downtown LA “Occupy Wall Street” action is too gritty for these people: they were staging their protest just across from the Del Amo mall and near the nice restaurants, all nice and comfortable and convenient.

I guess whatever floats your boat…I’m grateful I live in a place where there’s freedom to demonstrate, no matter how ridiculous the demonstrators are.

To InacurateArticle: Here’s a couple inaccuracies in your posting.

1) When protesters approach cops in a riot formation they’re considered a threat. If Mr. Olsen was hurt, the cops can handle calling for an ambulance and getting him clear of the mess. They don’t need you to help just because you “feel he’s one of yours”.

2) Billionaires, celebs, and even firms like Goldman-Sachs have to PAY for special police details. It ain’t free, and it ain’t cheap. So don’t act like the cops are “cozy” with them because they’re not.

And to Dan: Its not the police’s fault, its the protesters’ fault. The cops are doing their job and enforcing the rules society has agreed upon, they’re called laws. If you can’t protest and do it within the framework of the law, that makes you a vigilante at best, and a criminal at worst. And you have no justification for complaining when the law is enforced. You take on the bull, you get the horns, its as simple as that.

Like the song says, “I fought the law, and the law won!” Follow the law and more of us will listen to your cause.

they’re hippies. i say shoot them all and solve the problem once and for all. theyre just a horrible nuisance and they should be dealt with swiftly and in such a way that the whole movement falls apart.

Protests costing cities millions? What about the billions spent bailing out greedy corporations who squandered their money on extravagances and speculation.

Small businesses have nothing to fear from protesters doing what is right; protesting against the corporate welfare state that the US has become. Small businesses need to see that supporting the protesters will help them in the long term; reduce the corporate welfare you can reduce the taxes that need to be paid by small businesses.

@ Steve: If you want to take back your country, get out there and VOTE!! Take part in the process!

The vast majority of people under 40 don’t bother to vote. And if you don’t vote, you have no right to complain since you’re doing nothing worthwhile to improve the situation. Squatting in a park does nothing but anger your fellow citizens.

And whining that others has too much money when you’re not working and not contributing to society just makes you look bad. If you want to take money away from the rich, figure out something they need, start a business that fills that need, and sell your product or service. THAT IS HOW ITS DONE IN AMERICA! Be an entrepreneur, inventor, developer, or scientist and fill a need. Don’t sit around and be needy, demanding that others give you their money.

I understand the OWS initial intent and agree with it; however, it has blossomed into so many different, individual protests that there is no organization anymore. Our city “camp” has all the homeless and wandering mental patients along with a bunch of kids not even out of college just there to protest whatever. That is not what this was supposed to be about! They have overflowed the port-a-potties and there is raw crap running into the streets and the rest of us have to live with that along with damages done to parks that I for one am not willing to pay for with my tax dollars. I am currently unemployed and am definitely NOT the 1% but this has gone beyond madness now. Go home, get a job if you don’t have one. You can continue the protest without the need to “camp out”!

The best thing the left has going for it is the hatred the right feeds on. Read these blog posts and all the church going right wing nuts screaming their hate. They have no idea what a democracy is because they don’t live in one, they live in churches tht preach hate and they go online and spew it.

Occupy Wall Street folks delude themselves that they represent “the 99%.” I belong to the 53% that pays the taxes they are willing to squander by squatting on public and private land.

“Read these blog posts and all the church going right wing nuts screaming their hate. They have no idea what a democracy is”
Posted by: JEY

Wrong Jey! Democracy is not mob of law breaking street thugs! Democracy is the lawful and orderly act of voting on electron day! Mob rule is anarchy! The police did their job by clearing the streets to keep the law-abiding public safe!

Its a shame that Scott Olsen was badly injured but its wrong to imply that the police did it! In fact the Mayor of Oakland has said that Olsen had been hit with a 2 X 4 not a item carried by police! The ABC News report never mentioned that the police may not have been at fault. Olsen may have been injured by one of his fellow protesters who was throwing the 2 X 4 at police but missed! The police did issue many warnings before they cleared the streets, Scott Olsen along with the rest of the protesters could have heeded those warning at anytime but chose not to!

Time to identify all of these morons and cut them off all the entitlements they are collecting including social security and unemployment payments. Then have them pay for all the damages and make them clean up all their disease infested trash.

I respect those that report the news except when they allow these corporations to report only what is in their best interest.

Funny I don’t have cable so the only way I can follow what is happening on the protest in this country is by the little that has been reported on local news or shows like nightline, ABC news, NBC news and MSNBC. What are they afraid of? Are they afraid that the rest of the world might side with the 99% and this could hurt their profits if everyone joins the fight and they are no longer watching the news but now have become apart of the news.

It does not surprise me that their are police officers out there that are using excessive force against this defenseless protesters what is really sad is that these protesters are speaking for them also and watching a police officer with a baton beating a protester over words is really everything that is wrong with our society. What are they afraid of?

For those that have not used excessive force on these protesters I commend you because somehow watching several big police officers abusing a protester with a baton just doesn’t say much and is a disgrace to those in law enforcement who are truly doing their jobs.

Why aren’t the reporters reporting on the backgrounds of congress and who they truly represent. Why aren’t we doing more reporting on who in congress is benefiting while the rest of suffer and have everything taken away while they are living their exclusive life styles. Let’s shed some light on what is really going on behind closed doors.

I want to see more reporting on these people who have lost or about to lose everything and how they got there.

We all know what the protest is about and it really irritates me that the media keeps reporting that the 99% do not have a clear message and that they need to be more specific about their grievances.

Those that keep keep stating this, who do you really think you are fooling! We all know what their message is and playing games will only create more frustration.

This just reminds me of how corporate, congress and the justice system likes to passify the people because as long as they do this they think they can hold the people off just long enough to screw these individuals over. The fact is corporate America, congress, those with power this isn’t going to last much longer once you remove the safety net of the people you will find that the laws that you have enacted to make people think you are helping them are going to come back an haunt you.

While many people did not agree with the big bank bailouts, most Americans DO NOT APPROVE of the OWS protests that have de-evolved into a mob of street thugs looking for a fight! The tent cities are not welcome and are illegal because of heath and safety code violations! Yes its their right to hold peaceful protests but local laws and heath and safety codes must be obeyed! The protesters have failed to do so and no longer enjoy the support they once did! They should GO HOME, take a bath and get a job! They won’t find one in their tent city!

The “cities” do not get any sympathy from me. I live in Northern California, and it is unconscionable that the Oakland police injured an Iraq war veteran. Oakland gave a ‘calling all cars’ message to surrounding cities to roust out the protestors, and this is unbelievable in this day and age. This country needs these protestors to shake things up; that CEOs of major companies are making 300 times the average salary of the companies they manage is sinful. I think its time our government listens to the people instead of their rich oil barron cronies. Pay attention to what happened in Egypt and Syria, or it could very well happen here.

The brain dead koch brother lovers are out in force. Bow down to your masters. Pickin up boss!

Why do they need such a large police presence in the first place? =—— I agree. They aren’t committing any crimes. If there’s an issue, then send out police. Until then, stop making excuses. Doesn’t seem to be any need for police.

We had our carbon monoxide detector go off and in response to askign for ONE fire car, just a car, come with a detector (family members already out o the house) to confirm carbon monoxide (which we suspected was really only a low battery and told them so) they sent TWO trucks, including the ladder truck, one car, one paramedic . The whole force. really?????? for a carbon monoxide check. Ridiculous. So I tell my neighbors the next day I only asked for one car, and he told me,of the town finance committe, the budget for the fire station is established by how many times the trucks go out!!!!!So, for any little call, they send them out, to justify their budget!!!!!!!!! moochers. Yes, it’s great their fire fighters and all that, but….they’re milking it a bit, eh? So tell me, why are all these police out for a peaceful protest?????? excuse to ramp up the overime pay much??????? please. Dont do us any grand favors. DONT go to the protests, ok? Unless there’s a problem. Go home and spare us your milking the system,.

most Americans DO NOT APPROVE of the OWS protests ===no actually. they do. Actually most Americans DO feel some solidarity to what these folks are angry about. You need to listen to real news sources, pal. hint…..fox is NOT a news source. So you know….

Reminds me of the antiwar protestors of the 60s…who were …RIGHT, weren’t they?????? the police HATED THEM. And…the protesters were RIGHT! So are these. 3 TRILLION of our debt is the bush tax cuts, but even before that, the tax rate for the rich was 35%. with bush tax cuts it went to 32%. During Kennedy’d time, it’s true, they paid 60% tax and never complained and we had enough money to put a man on the moon. now they make a million times MORE than they did back then, and they pay half as much taxes and we had to shut down NASA. it is what it is. They caused this mess. They did. They caused the recression. They laid off all the factory jobs, they kept increasing their personal profits, they created derivatives and short selling and crap securities they lied about as they sold them, they created this recession. have them pay for the bail outs. Tax them. THe war protesters went home whe nthe war was over…and they were RIGHT!!!!! Face it. These kids are right. period. YOu just can’t passed the simple fact that these kids are right. and tell the police to go home. It’s true. They aren’t needed. They are milking their overtime it sounds.

Are you people serious? Government agents shoot an Iraq war veteran in the head with a tear gas canister and crack his skull during a peaceful protest and all you careabout is how much the tear gas canister cost? What about liberty? What about freedom? What about police brutality? What about stifling of dissent? What about the First amendment for crying out loud? If the tear gas bill is too expensive, here’s a thought: Don’t shoot it a peaceful citizens’ heads! I can’t believe ABC is being this retarded.

There’s wishful thinking and then there’s reality. The reality is, none of this stops until the rich pay more in taxes. Every generation of rich has paid at least TWICE as much tax as this one. The reaily is, you shoot at these kids, you try to crush them, it wont work. Ask Marie Anoitnette. when there is injustice, it bubbles up to the surface. to the tune of 700 billion in bailouts and million dollar bonuses after tanking the economy and the Tea Party protect them. What is left? what other recourse is there? The Supreme court just said corporatiosn are the same as individuals. POliticans are bought and paid for. What other recourse? the Vietnam war the government was tone deaf to the people. So has this one, the Tea Parrty and republicans even worse than the democrats. This wont end. That is just reality. It will grow and get worse and worse until you tax the rich. So just do it. This is NOT going to end until justice is done. Why did the rich of my youth pay 60% tax rate and not complain and this generation pay half as much????? with much much much more profit? why? No excuse. Pay your share. Move to Engliand and you’ll pay 80%. It is what it is. You got away with being a robber barron this long, now it’s time to pay the piper. Raise their taxes. Make them pay for the bail outs. That is just reality. it will only get ugly and drawn out but in the end, just like during VIetnam, it WILL NOT END until you undo the injustice. 3 trillion of our debt is from tax cuts to the rich who actually laid off en masse during that time. the injustice has bubbled to the surface. This will not be cured until it is. Tax them. make them pay for the mess they created. It iwll happen. Just a matter of how much violence, how much mess, how much more cost before it happens but it will. YOu will tax them more. You will see. So why not just do it now. Why drag this out. Justice will be done.

And they are environmentalists?

Here’s food for thought OWS “projectors”– quit projecting your hate upon others who have what you don’t have. Respect the law and you will be respected by it. Quit blaming everyone else for your problems and become responsible for your own actions. You want to make a democracy-styled difference? Go and vote. Pack up your sh*t, go home, and write your congressman. Your movement has lost its force and message due to lawlessness. So go scurry back to the woodwork you came from, or else get smashed like cockroaches by those who have respect for their hard-earned personal property. Grow up, get off the government tit, start a business, and feel what real freedom really feels like.

The amounts of money that are mentioned as the costs of the protests are so small compared to the amounts of money stolen or more accurately mined out of our pockets by our current political reality that servers those that pay to get politicians elected and pretends to serve us. I feel sorry for those who’s comments belittle the Americans that have the courage to stand up for what is right. I cannot believe that you would say such things if you were able to clearly see the country that we are now living in. These occupiers will help all but those few that are hurting us most.

You would choose this headline instead of “Iraqi War Veteran Injured by Police” which is a helluva lot more accurate and much more respectful to the military veterans. It seems you are patriotic only when its a sappy or a “clean” story. But not with this raw truth that is the very definition of news.

Also, this story is slanted to the corporate interests that are the 1% and control what is the news many Americans get; your news. Thank God for Al Gore, Current TV and Keith Oberman for accurate news coverage.

I am now choosing to turn away from each of the Corporate run evening news programs because of the lack of in-depth fair and balanced coverage on this story; yes, I never watch that station anyway since they are not either.

I watched as every gathering of 2 or more Tea Party people sneezing together was covered over the last years. And many interviews were given to their leaders. Why did they get so much continuous coverage and OWS didn’t get any coverage until it started building some momentum? And what news program or “reporter” has interviewed anyone in the OWS movement… only Keith that I know of.

Ever since Diane Sawyer became the anchor I have watched this news channel 95% of the time I am home to see it. I mistakenly thought that since you were innovative and started the ‘Made in America’ coverage that you had America’s future at heart.

THIS is the real story about America’s future and not a single newsman I know of for the major channels is doing any special about this phenomenon… even with the polls for it.

YAWN….do we have anything else to report besides these HOOLIGANS….grow up their “protesting” has not achieved anything to date except for them to get canisters thrown at them, busted heads and a bunch of other bruises. Be civilized and maybe they would not get hurt. Or better yet, just go back to your ivy league schools and your home and let people do their work. end of story.

I once respected ABC News, but not after reading this story. Didn’t anybody check the video footage to see that the injury stemmed from police violence? Police around the country are using soviet-style methods to ‘put-down’ protesters. Where is that story ABC?

Such lack of moral from who is writing the article … it is appalling how not biting the hand that feeds us turns us on. ABC is not doing journalism, but publicity for banks

Just one hedge fund manager, John Paulson, made $ 5 billion last year by forcing through an unneeded and unwanted Dow-Rohm merger that resulted in 3500 people being fired in order for him to pay for that $ 5000 million personal “profit”. Let’s ask him to pay for the few 100 000 bucks here and there.

Every movement needs a martyr and he just happens to be it, until it really escalates and someone crosses police, DOES NOT DO AS THEY ARE ORDERED, and dies. Then they will have another reason to whine.

This headline makes me sick. ABC news, shame on you.

The selfish indulgences of private firms in America has cost cities and the American people TRILLIONS. GET OUT OF IT, ABC.

Ref. Abbie Boudreau does not have a clue! The cost the cities are having is due to their illegal acts against the people exercising their 1st Amendment Rights. The Marine that did 2 tours of combat need not be further victimized by the ABC News Reporter Abbie Bludreau. When did she ever pick up a weapon and stand a post. She should just thank him for his service and shut the F up!

1st Amendment Rights DO NOT include throwing rocks, bottles, urine and feces at the police! It also DOES NOT include tent cities, illegal camping, suppressing the rights of others, breaking windows, doors and theft from shops and stores! All of which was done by the protesters in Oakland! No ones happy about the lack of jobs or the bad economy but the vast majority of law-abiding Americans WILL NOT support or tolerate OWS protesters acting like a mob of lawless street thugs! Have your protest, get your message out and then GO HOME! No more tent cities or camping that keeps others from using those public spaces!

The trash,costs, OWS baloney , Marxist absurdities, protests are tied with the DNC, Dems, Bama, SEIU, ACORN, and voters will realize that these are the same types who have undermined capitalism, our society’s morals, our American heritage, history and values for nearly 7 decades. As protests go on, using our taxpayers’s monies , my guess is all this will backfire. After all , the Times has an article today, saying donors are fleeing Obama because of his leftist failures that are killing free enterprise, our energy systems, and has not increased private sector jobs. Oh, and there is no comparison between these flacks at OWS and the TEAS,. TEAS cleaned up, paid for their own stuff and did not hurt anyone.

The fundamental question this election cycle is: ‘Can we overcome the Obama ‘Jobs- Depression’ so long as Obama sits in the WH?’ Certainly the 26 Million Americans without a viable option for productive employment consider this to be the most critical issue confronting our electorate. Unfortunately, the answer is an emphatic ‘NO’. Quite simply, Obama either doesn’t understand -OR- is unwilling to accept the mechanics of job creation in a free-market economy. Certainly the circulating video of a petulant adolescent, utterly out-of-control, as he kicked open the door as he exited the WH conference room ‘after’ he was told by attending members of the Congress that they would NOT give him the massive tax increases that he insisted on to sustain his crippling spending binge of 25% of our GDP, would validate the latter. The explanation is straight forward: Obama views the Tax Code, Regulatory Reform, and Executive Policy such as Obamacare, Housing, and Student Loan Programs, etc., as instruments of WEALTH REDISTRIBUTION. Obama has been schooled in this Marxist dialectic since birth; and, is NOT capable of accommodating real-life consequences. In a functioning Free-Market System, the Tax Code, Regulatory Reform, and Executive Policy are purposely constructed to FACILITATE economic expansion, and concurrently, JOB CREATION. No CEO, with proliferating onerous regulatory measures, pending increases in tax obligations, and Executive policies that cripple profit potential, are going to RISK significant ‘domestic’ expansion, and concurrent hiring of new employees in face of such a fusillade of restrictive business measures being promulgated by the Obama anti-capitalistic agenda. Thus, even with a modestly expanding economy, job-creation will be severely constrained. Paradoxically, the Occupy-Wall-Street protestors, and the Tea-Party activists have a common enemy – Barack Obama. It’s simply a matter of recognizing the actual culprit in the job-creating malaise infecting our body politic. Greg Neubeck

“Iraq War veteran Scott Olsen, 24, lays on the ground bleeding from a head wound after being struck by a by a projectile during an Occupy Wall Street protest in Oakland, Calif., Oct. 25, 2011.”… BY THE POLICE WHILE PROTESTING PEACEFULLY!

The problem is city decision-making.
They don’t like the sanitation? Which is the cheaper solution? 50$ per day for a porta-pottie? or $20,000 per day for a massive police presence?

right now i can hear choppers hovering over occupy Oakland from my house. Choppers? to monitor a some people in a small group of tents? really?? how much does that cost per hour?

I have an easy solution. Why don’t they pass a constitutional amendment prohibiting the wealthy from buying politicians. Just a start I know, but giving our citizens a voice again would go a very long way.

It is a pity it always comes down to money. If breaking the budget of major cities across the country is necessary to have the movements voice heard, then so be it.

So basically, the previous poster feels that the public fund draining protests are justified since someone else did it first. That’s intelligent. You’re hurting your own communities people! Use your heads and protest “peacefully” in a more constructive and cost effective manner.