New York – Flanked by police scooters, about two dozen Occupy Wall Street protesters started a two-week walk from New York to Washington on Wednesday.
The activists left Manhattan’s Zuccotti Park, marched past the World Trade Center site and boarded a ferry to New Jersey. The group planned to stay overnight at a private home in Elizabeth, N.J., and resume their walk on Thursday morning.
“Everything is going well so far, everyone is in good spirits” Kelley Brannon, the walk’s main organizer, said during a phone interview Wednesday night, shortly before they arrived in Elizabeth. “We’re doing well and looking forward to our travel.”
They plan to walk through Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland and arrive in Washington by Nov. 23 — the deadline for a congressional committee to decide whether to keep President Barack Obama’s extension of Bush-era tax cuts. Protesters say the cuts benefit only rich Americans.
Michael Glazer, a 26-year-old actor from Chicago, smiled as he boarded the ferry across the Hudson River, cheered by supporters shouting, “Thank you!” Walking in well-worn boots, he said: “I’ve had these for years and years, and they’ve served me well for many miles of marches.”
They hope to pick up other participants along their 240-mile march and have likened the effort to long-distance walks during the civil rights era. They say they’ll overnight by camping or at volunteered accommodations.
Among those seeing off the Occupy marchers was Rabbi Chaim Gruber, 42, the self-appointed “resident rabbi” of the New York protest.
“Anyone need a sleeping bag?” he asked the group, handing over two — along with a bag containing shampoo and extra socks.
They should all get off of their lazy —— and get jobs.
Pathetic people disrupting lives of thousands of people daily all because they are bored and want handouts.
They should go hug trees or something.
Anyone know who this gruber fellow is?
Its nice to see Reb Chaim taking a lead role in supporting this demonstration. He is an ehrliche yid who has always been in the forefront of progressive social movements in the NYC area and he will be an effective voice against the few anti-semitic extremists who have gotten a disproportionate share of media attention.
I hope it pours ! And who’s this sleeping bag rabbi ?
Diverse crowd! Amazing! And a Rabbi that is actually helping and being there for the people! God bless him!
The “rabbi” is just another one of the socialist liberal democrat workers party useful idiots. Although the word TIPISH comes to mind when I think of him.
Another fellow with too much time on his hands!
A bunch of 60s hippy wannabees. Grow up already and stop allowing yourselves to be manipulated by the Obama crowd.
Where is this Rabbi’s shul? I want to become a member.
A protest does not accomplish anything…certainly not a “sleep-in” that causes havoc to the very people they claim they want to help! For those of us who DO WORK, both foot traffic and vehicle traffic is at a stand still and the neighborhood is a mess! If you really want to CHANGE THE WORLD…go blame the people responsible…the administration! Go tell it to OBAMA at HIS HOUSE!
Two dozen protestors? Is this a Purim spiel?
A rabbi at occupation Wall Street is like a nose ring in a man’s nose. It is really obscene.
“A rabbi at occupation Wall Street is like a nose ring in a man’s nose. It is really obscene.”
Would it be LESS obscene, if they were walking around with their big, black hats, and tea bags hanging off of them?! Would it be LESS obscene if they were dressed in Founding Fathers costumes?!?! (lol)
Just wondering!
Does he have any idea what he’s doing there? Because the bulk of the protesters seem to, you know, not.