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Wall Street protests have cost millions
Source: Agencies |
November 24, 2011, Thursday
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DURING the first two months of the nationwide Occupy protests in the US, the movement that is demanding more from the wealthiest Americans cost taxpayers at least US$13 million in police overtime and other municipal services, according to a survey.
The heaviest financial burden has fallen on law enforcement agencies tasked with monitoring marches and evicting protesters from encampments. The steepest costs by far piled up in New York and Oakland, California, where police clashed with protesters on several occasions.
The Associated Press gathered figures from government agencies in 18 cities with active protests and focused on costs up to November 15, the day protesters were evicted from New York's Zuccotti Park, where the protests began on September 17 before spreading nationwide. The survey did not attempt to tally the price of all protests but provides a glimpse into costs to cities large and small.
Broken down city by city, the numbers are more or less in line with the cost of policing major public events and emergencies. In Los Angeles, for example, the Michael Jackson memorial concert cost the city US$1.4 million, and Atlanta spent several million dollars after a major snow storm this year.
But the price of the protests is rising daily, along with taxpayers' anger in some places.
"What is their real agenda?" asked Rodger Mawhinney as he watched police remove an encampment outside his apartment complex in Oakland. "I have asked them, 'What are you truly trying to accomplish?' I am still waiting for an answer."
The Occupy movement has intentionally never clarified its policy objectives, relying instead on a broad message opposing corporate excess and income inequality. Aside from policing, cleaning and repairing property at dozens of encampments, cities have had to monitor frequent rallies and protests.
The spending comes as cash-strapped police departments have cut overtime budgets, travel and training to respond to the recession. Nonetheless, city officials say they have no choice but to bring in extra officers or hold officers beyond shift hours to police gatherings and marches. In some cities, officials say the spending is eating into overtime budgets and leaving less money for other public services.
Protesters blame excessive police presence for the high costs in some places, and they note the cost has been minimal in other cities, and worth the money because they have raised awareness about what they say is corporate greed and the growing inequality between rich and poor.
"We are here fighting corporate greed and they are worried about a lawn?" said Clark Davis of Occupy Los Angeles, where the city estimates damage to a park amounts to US$200,000.
In Oakland, where protesters temporarily forced the shutdown of a major port, the city has spent more than US$2.4 million responding to the protests. The cash-strapped city has a near US$58 million budget gap this year.
Mayor Jean Quan said: "The cost of the encampments is growing and putting a strain on our already fragile resources. We will continue to be vigilant and ensure public safety remains our first priority and our downtown businesses are protected from vandalism."
Portland, Oregon, has spent a total of about US$785,000, much of that in police overtime when protesters were evicted from two downtown parks because of concerns about sanitation and public safety.
New York City police have spent US$7 million in overtime on the protests.
The heaviest financial burden has fallen on law enforcement agencies tasked with monitoring marches and evicting protesters from encampments. The steepest costs by far piled up in New York and Oakland, California, where police clashed with protesters on several occasions.
The Associated Press gathered figures from government agencies in 18 cities with active protests and focused on costs up to November 15, the day protesters were evicted from New York's Zuccotti Park, where the protests began on September 17 before spreading nationwide. The survey did not attempt to tally the price of all protests but provides a glimpse into costs to cities large and small.
Broken down city by city, the numbers are more or less in line with the cost of policing major public events and emergencies. In Los Angeles, for example, the Michael Jackson memorial concert cost the city US$1.4 million, and Atlanta spent several million dollars after a major snow storm this year.
But the price of the protests is rising daily, along with taxpayers' anger in some places.
"What is their real agenda?" asked Rodger Mawhinney as he watched police remove an encampment outside his apartment complex in Oakland. "I have asked them, 'What are you truly trying to accomplish?' I am still waiting for an answer."
The Occupy movement has intentionally never clarified its policy objectives, relying instead on a broad message opposing corporate excess and income inequality. Aside from policing, cleaning and repairing property at dozens of encampments, cities have had to monitor frequent rallies and protests.
The spending comes as cash-strapped police departments have cut overtime budgets, travel and training to respond to the recession. Nonetheless, city officials say they have no choice but to bring in extra officers or hold officers beyond shift hours to police gatherings and marches. In some cities, officials say the spending is eating into overtime budgets and leaving less money for other public services.
Protesters blame excessive police presence for the high costs in some places, and they note the cost has been minimal in other cities, and worth the money because they have raised awareness about what they say is corporate greed and the growing inequality between rich and poor.
"We are here fighting corporate greed and they are worried about a lawn?" said Clark Davis of Occupy Los Angeles, where the city estimates damage to a park amounts to US$200,000.
In Oakland, where protesters temporarily forced the shutdown of a major port, the city has spent more than US$2.4 million responding to the protests. The cash-strapped city has a near US$58 million budget gap this year.
Mayor Jean Quan said: "The cost of the encampments is growing and putting a strain on our already fragile resources. We will continue to be vigilant and ensure public safety remains our first priority and our downtown businesses are protected from vandalism."
Portland, Oregon, has spent a total of about US$785,000, much of that in police overtime when protesters were evicted from two downtown parks because of concerns about sanitation and public safety.
New York City police have spent US$7 million in overtime on the protests.
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