Occupy Bloomington protesters hold march on anniversary of birth of Occupy Wall Street

About 40 members of Occupy Bloomington prepared for the 5 p.m. march.

Inside the tents of Peoples Park, they made sarcastic signs that said such things as “Terrorism Terrorism Terrorism ... Stay scared GO SHOPPING.”

Others watched the live stream of the march in New York. Ray, a former employee of IU and current member of the movement who declined to give his last name, sat alone on a bench, knitting.

“I would like to see the current fiscal fiasco addressed,” Ray said. “This is supposedly a free market economy. But when you bailout banks that should have failed ... well, what does that make you think?”

Ray said conflict of interest was created by the reinterpretation of the Glass-Steagall Act in 1987, which allowed for more connections between lending and investment banks.

“I think that’s partially where things went south into the current situation,” Ray said.

Members of Occupy Bloomington gathered at the Sample Gates to start the protest. They held signs and shouted chants such as “You are the 99 percent!” and “Banks got bailed out, we got sold out!”

The crowd began to march west on Kirkwood Avenue.

“Everybody pays their tax! Everyone but Goldman Sachs!” they shouted. “You pay taxes, so do we! Everyone except GE!”

The protesters stopped by the old courthouse downtown, and individuals made soap box speeches.

“This day is a day of international solidarity,” said member Justinian D., who declined to give his last name. “Earlier today I was watching a live stream from Greece (the Occupy movement there). And you know what? They were watching a live stream from New York. How cool is that?”

Another protester, Chris Albert, then took the soap box.

“Why I am here is because we need new ways to relate to each other and relate to the earth,” Albert said.

When Albert stepped down to the crowd he smiled and said, “So you’re quoting me, huh? Well, then say this: Fuck capitalism. It’s a system that forces people to compete with each other and screw each other over in order to survive.”

Then junior Evan Rocheford took the floor.

“The era of greed is coming to an end,” he said. “We are the evolution. We are the revolution. This earth is shared. This earth is beautiful. Not something to be exploited.”

The march continued around the Courthouse Square downtown.

Walking back to Peoples Park, retired nurse Charlotte Wolff said she had been fighting for rights for 40 years. She protested for civil rights, women’s rights and the end of the Vietnam War.

“The end of the American Dream is when whatever the government gives you, it can take away,” Wolff said.

She said she is proud of Bloomington for this Occupy movement, and she is optimistic about its future.

“It will keep spreading,” she said. “You watch. It’s too big to go away. So let me ask you a question, young man. What do you stand for?”