Community Corner

Occupy Wall Street Marchers Visit New Brunswick Thursday Night

Ask local supporters to join the cause.

Mister Han used to work at an exclusive restaurant in Atlanta, Ga., where he made $45,000 a year as a server.

Upon hearing about the mass arrests that took place on the Brooklyn Bridge on Oct. 1 as part of the Occupy Wall Street protests, Han gave his two weeks notice and took a bus up to New York City to join the cause.

Now, Han is part of the moving protest known as the Walking Occupation, and on the web as "NYCmarch2DC".

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They are a group of about 23 people at present who are making the trip from New York City to Washington, D.C. on foot.

"I didn't want to miss the most important thing that could happen in my lifetime," Han said.

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On Thursday night, the group came through New Brunswick with the intent of making camp at a studio in the city.

They arrived at the Albany Street bridge around 7:30 p.m. and were greeted by a crowd of a few dozen supporters who held up signs and flags and cheered wildly when the group was visible on Route 27.

The march left New York City on Nov. 9, stopping first in Elizabeth. The New Brunswick stop was the second day of the journey, which is expected to go for two weeks, until the group reaches Washington, D.C. with a projected arrival date of Nov. 23, the same day as a Congressional Super Committee hearing on the Bush tax cuts.

Harry Newman, one of the marchers from Brooklyn, N.Y., said the group waiting at the bridge was the biggest turnout of supporters they have seen so far.

They've been met with the occasional cries of "Get a job!" but overall the support they have received on the road has been largely positive, he said.

"Frequently people will honk their horns and cheer," Newman said.

After meeting with their supporters at the bridge, where plenty of handshakes, hugs and friendly greetings were exchanged among strangers, the group marched on Albany Street down to the New Brunswick Train Station, back up to George Street and over to Paterson Street, where they stopped at an office to refuel and rest.

At the Paterson Street office building, across from the Middlesex County Courthouse, a woman welcomed the group on behalf of the American Federation of Teachers Local 1766, and invited them up for homecooked food and a place to freshen up.

According to the group's website, they were given $3,000 from the larger Occupy Wall Street organization to fund their journey, but have been relying heavily on donations and lodging from supporters along the way.

Atom Jenkins of Arlington, Va., said he came to Occupy New York after spending two weeks at Occupy D.C.

He said he heard about the walking march and decided quickly to take part.

"I feel like it is a general push toward good in the world," he said.

The group has additional planned stops in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Delaware before reaching their goal of Washington, D.C.

Along the way, they will hold General Assembly meetings and communal discussions. On Thursday, the group met on the College Avenue campus of Rutgers University.

Teeming with energy and yelling at the top of his voice, Han urged the supporters on site to get involved and spread the word.

"Put two weeks of your life aside and join us," he said.

Han recounted a story of how his father took the news when he announced that he was quitting his job and going to the protests.

"He said I was crazy," Han said, and said his father begged him to go back to work.

However, Han said, the next day his father told him he had a change of heart, and now supports his son's movement every day.

"He told me to "Go out and do the best you can," Han said.

Han said the support has been evident along the route, with everyone from toddlers being pushed in strollers by their parents to senior citizens following along in motorized scooters joining their group.

"The revolution is now," Han said. "It's happening now."

The group will leave New Brunswick around 9 a.m. Friday and walk 27 miles to Trenton, the next stop on their journey.

To view the group's daily progress visit their website and Twitter account.


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