Saturday afternoon about 1,200 people gathered in Cesar Chavez Plaza in downtown Phoenix, AZ to show support for the Occupy Wall Street Protest and to bring the protest to Arizona.

The protestors expressed anger and frustration over the lack of jobs, the cost of health care and even border security. Many of the protestors objected to the Wall Street banks and “the rampant greed we see.” They also carried signs decrying the tax code. Those signs read, “Millionaires Pay More Tax Than Secretaries.”

Another sign read, “Wall Street Stole My Money and Congress Let Them Do It.” Most of the signs were homemade. Most of the voices were loud and everyone we interviewed was passionate about their protest.

Congress the Federal Government and corporate special interests in Washington were also targets of the protestors and their wrath. “Wasteful spending and corrupt politicians are a huge part of the problem,” according to Tim, (no last name given).

On September 17th the Occupy Wall Street protest began in New York City.

Some of the people said they were students, some from ASU some from Community Colleges throughout the Phoenix Valley.

Most of the people we saw were not “dirty hippies” or “lawbreaking troublemakers” as have been described on some TV news channels. Many looked like the same people we see in grocery stores and at church.

There were many messages expressed by these protestors. One of the more common was that said they’re being taken advantage of by the 1% and that includes the US Congress.

More than half of the people we interviewed said they just wanted a job and to go back to work. Many of them have been out of work for over one year now.

Police appeared calm and even supportive, giving directions and some even smiling. We did not witness any arrests during the afternoon protest and march. By 5:30 p.m. the protestors had moved on to Margaret T. Hance Park. Many getting into their mini-vans.

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