Hispanics Unite with Occupy Wall Street

Dozens of Hispanics joined Occupy Wall Street on Monday with a rally from north to south Manhattan, in which they demanded increased taxes for the rich and more jobs for the working class.

Armed with banners, drums and trumpets, the demonstrators expressed their solidarity with the national protest movement by marching 17 kilometers (11 miles) from upper Manhattan — where the Dominican community of that area lies — to the Occupy Wall Street camp in Zuccotti Park.

“They are fighting for something that benefits us all,” said Mexican Carmen Serrano, 46, as she marched down Broadway. “We must support those that don’t have anything. We want to show that we are thankful for the work Occupy Wall Street is doing.”

Dominican [New York] State Senator Adriano Espaillat and his compatriot Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez led the march in which trade unions and organizations to help immigrants participated. Approximately 300 protesters gathered with placards reading “A bit of bread. A bit of respect” or “Health. Not Wealth” and shouting constantly, “We are the 99 percent.”

“We are demanding jobs, equality and that taxes are imposed on the wealthy in this economic crisis we are living in,” said Dominican assemblyman Guillermo Linares before the crowd shouted, ”Where are we going? To Wall Street!”

The activists of Occupy Wall Street have spent over a month and a half camped in south Manhattan to protest against economic inequality and what they describe as corporate greed. The movement has spread to cities such as Atlanta, Washington D.C., and San Francisco.

Hispanics who participated in the marched walked with Dominican flags and called for punitive measures against multinational banks that apparently broke the law to increase their own wealth, supposedly causing the financial crisis of 2008.

Restaurant waiters and small business owners watched the march amazed from their establishment’s doors, but some raised their hands in support.

“March with our neighbors supporting the 99 percent of the population ignored by this economy,” said the main banner that opened the protest.

“We are resisting and denouncing the situation in which many poor people live. The rich live at our expense,” said Dominican Dinorah Cordero, 73, who asserted that after walking 40 blocks she did not feel tired.

A recent poll by The Associated Press-GfK showed that 37 percent of Americans surveyed support the protesters who are fighting against the greed of Wall Street. 51 percent said they were angered by United States politics, up from 49 percent in January.

Patrick Bruner, one of the speakers of Occupy Wall Street, thanked the Hispanic community’s march.

“It’s rewarding to see how the message reaches all areas,” he said. “We are very involved with the Hispanic community.”

Bruner said that at the general assembly held every week, the activists have a session in Spanish and that many Hispanics have expressed support for the movement since it began.