PHOTOS: Occupy Miami takes over busy stretch of city, over 1000 participate

This Saturday, hundreds of Miami-ans turned out in solidarity with Occupy Wall Street’s global protest in downtown Miami. The group is also currently occupying a busy part of the city.

The New York-based movement aimed at protesting corporate greed became a global movement over the weekend. Hundreds of cities around the world joined in denouncing the global economy and its current inequalities. Miami was among the cities joining in protesting, as well as other cities in Florida.

The Washington Post reports: “Rallies were held in more than 900 cities in Europe, Africa and Asia, as well as in the United States, with some of the largest occurring in Europe. The demonstration in Rome turned violent, and more than 70 people were arrested in Manhattan on Saturday night, but crowds elsewhere were largely peaceful.”

There are reports that more than 1,000 people showed up this weekend to protest in Miami.

Early in the afternoon, hundreds of Occupy Miami supporters gathered at the Torch of Friendship in Bayfront Park. The crowd held signs and chanted as bus drivers and passersby honked and yelled in solidarity with the movement. Unemployed residents, students, union members and countless other groups were represented in the rally denouncing corporate greed.

Hundreds of protesters later marched down to Government Center to occupy the area.

Pedro Santana, who was among the protesters, tells The Florida Independent the group is hoping to occupy Government Center as long as possible.

“If we could make it to Monday,” he says, “I will be very happy.”

Once the work week begins, it is unknown whether an occupation in a busy part of the city will face problems. In the meantime, via Facebook and Twitter, the protesters are asking supporters to join them in occupying the area on Sunday. Occupy Miami’s Facebook page already has over 10,000 supporters.

Here are pictures of Saturday’s event:

Image has not been found. URL: http://images.floridaindependent.com/2011/10/IMG_0933-300x450.jpg

Catch more images on our sister site, The Florida Independent.