'Occupy' occupies seized homes
- 13 years ago
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Empty homes were the target of this latest protest by the Occupy Wall Street Movement.
In this case their attention was focussed on four homes abandoned or foreclosed in an area of New York they say is among the worst hit by the financial crisis.
SOUNDBITE: Senia Barragan, protest organiser, saying (English):
"The foreclosure and underwater rates in this particular community is three times higher and any other region of Brooklyn and five times higher than New York state and so really we're bringing the Occupy movement to ground Zero."
Alfredo Carrasquillo and his family were among the protesters.
They've taken up residence in one of the district's vacant properties.
The protesters threw a housewarming party to press home their demands for fewer repossessions and more affordable housing.
SOUNDBITE: Alfredo Carrasquillo, protester, saying (English)
"We took matters into our own hands and claimed back property that was taken away from the community."
Some of the residents in this Brooklyn neighbourhood were happy to see the protesters.
SOUNDBITE: George Herivaux, resident, saying (English):
"I think it's great, I love it, I think it's great. Yes, more often because we need it out here. People are losing their homes, the cops are out here dogging us, we need it out here."
The Occupy Wall Street movement began staging demonstrations in September in a backlash against the billions of dollars given to banks.
They say the banks are raking in huge profits again while average Americans have no relief from high unemployment and a struggling economy.
Paul Chapman, Reuters
Empty homes were the target of this latest protest by the Occupy Wall Street Movement.
In this case their attention was focussed on four homes abandoned or foreclosed in an area of New York they say is among the worst hit by the financial crisis.
SOUNDBITE: Senia Barragan, protest organiser, saying (English):
"The foreclosure and underwater rates in this particular community is three times higher and any other region of Brooklyn and five times higher than New York state and so really we're bringing the Occupy movement to ground Zero."
Alfredo Carrasquillo and his family were among the protesters.
They've taken up residence in one of the district's vacant properties.
The protesters threw a housewarming party to press home their demands for fewer repossessions and more affordable housing.
SOUNDBITE: Alfredo Carrasquillo, protester, saying (English)
"We took matters into our own hands and claimed back property that was taken away from the community."
Some of the residents in this Brooklyn neighbourhood were happy to see the protesters.
SOUNDBITE: George Herivaux, resident, saying (English):
"I think it's great, I love it, I think it's great. Yes, more often because we need it out here. People are losing their homes, the cops are out here dogging us, we need it out here."
The Occupy Wall Street movement began staging demonstrations in September in a backlash against the billions of dollars given to banks.
They say the banks are raking in huge profits again while average Americans have no relief from high unemployment and a struggling economy.
Paul Chapman, Reuters