Manhattan, NY - These images were captured in the streets of Manhattan, from fall 2011 through spring 2012, to document the 99%, a group of students, artists, workers, activists and regular citizens with different political points of view who are all united by the common demands for social and economic equality and the end of corporate greed and Wall Street Gangsterism. They have gathered since September 17, 2011, to voice the dissatisfaction of a vast group of individuals of all genders, ages and races, with a myriad of concerns, such as the power of Wall Street to influence politics and policy, costly tuition and student debt, absence of health care, unemployment, military spending, to name a few. These peaceful protesters form part of the movement known as Occupy Wall Street. By this spring, over 6,705 people had been arrested.
The 99% began their peaceful protests in the fall of 2011, in a strong and sustained reaction to the most recent financial crisis caused by the titans of Wall Street. The images presented here form part of a larger collection shot in the streets of Manhattan, from fall 2011 through spring 2012, to document the 99%, a group of students, artists, workers, activists and regular citizens with different political points of view who are all united by the common demands for social and economic equality and the end of corporate greed and Wall Street Gangsterism. These peaceful protesters form part of the movement known as Occupy Wall Street.
The 99% have seen an escalation of hostility from the mainstream media, passersby, politicians and most notably the police. By spring of 2012, over 6,705 people had been arrested.
The media and opponents of the movement have criticized and often dismissed the protesters as lazy, attacking what they say is the "unclear" message and/or "absence of solutions" posed by the 99%. The movement has, in fact, become a catch all for the dissatisfaction of a vast group of individuals of all genders, ages and races, with a myriad of concerns such as the power of Wall Street to influence politics and policy, corporate greed, costly tuition and student debt, absence of health care, rising unemployment, military spending, to name just a few.
It’s troublesome to expect a diverse group of citizens to come up with solutions that our elected officials seem unable to do. Nonetheless, among the solutions proposed by the 99% are taxing the wealthy, taxing financial transactions, ending the wars, affordable healthcare and education, among others.