Anti-war protesters outside of NYSE arrestedActivists, who displayed record profits of companies, have been charged with disorderly conduct and failure to obey police.NEW YORK (CNN) -- Forty-four anti-war activists carrying "blood-splattered" cardboard signs displaying the record profits of companies were arrested outside the New York Stock Exchange Monday morning. The protesters were charged with disorderly conduct and failure to obey a police order, according to protest organizer March 19 Peace Action Coalition and the New York Police Department.
Some of the companies mentioned on the signs included Boeing (Charts), General Dynamics (Charts), and Halliburton (Charts). Twenty-two were arrested for blocking Stock Exchange checkpoints. Another group was arrested next to the charging bull statue, the financial symbol for strength and power, located at the north end of Bowling Green park on Wall Street. A third group was arrested for blocking traffic in the middle of Wall Street and Water Street. "Our message was clearly heard," said organizer Frida Berrigan. "The New York Stock Exchange hasn't been a site of protest recently. A lot more work needs to be done to make the connection between those who are profiting from the war and those who are prosecuting the war, but it was successful." Berrigan, daughter of Vietnam-era anti-war activist Philip Berrigan, said protests are only a part of the group's efforts to end the war, "God forbid we're having the same protest next year," she said. March 19 Peace Action Coalition is affiliated with the nationwide group Declaration of Peace campaign that says it represents hundreds of groups across the country. According to the NYPD, the protesters have been released but will face disorderly conduct charges when they appear at a later court hearing. The New York Stock Exchange would not comment about the protest. |
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