Four members of the New York City Council — Ydanis Rodriguez, Jumaane Willaims, Melissa Mark-Viverito and Stephen Levin — met with injured Occupy Wall Street protesters this afternoon in Zuccotti Park to denounce what they say was excessive force used by the NYPD when officers arrested 73 protesters at the park Saturday night.
The arrests occurred on OWS’s six-month anniversary, as nearly 1,000 people gathered in the park and tried to reclaim it. But the police shut down the park at 11:30 and arrested dozens of protesters for disorderly conduct. Two of the protesters arrested were charged with assault, said police.
“On Saturday, I stood right next to peaceful demonstrators who, in return for exercising their rights, were hit by NYPD police officers” said Rodriguez.
Rodriguez said he has created legislation which would mandate the creation of a ‘Protester’s Bill of Rights” in New York. OWS is also calling for residents from across the city to respond with protests this coming Saturday, March 24.
