MUSLIM OBAMA WAS OUT WITH FAT MICHELLE FOR THE FATSO'S BIRTHDAY. WONDER WHO THEY PAID FOR ENTERTAINMENT FOR THIS EVENT WITH THE PEOPLES MONEY?
Occupy protesters cause White House security scare leading to lock down
By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 6:55 AM on 18th January 2012
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2088177/Occupy-protesters-cause-White-House-security-scare-leading-lock-down.html#ixzz1jsYEGkW2
An apparent smoke bomb was thrown over the White House's fence Tuesday night as hundreds of Occupy Wall Street protesters massed outside forcing authorities to disperse the crowds.
The protesters converged on the West Lawn of the Capitol before some spread outside the White House in the evening to decry the influence of corporate money in politics and voice myriad other grievances.
President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama were not in the White House when the incident happened placing it on lock down according to Secret Service officials.
Threat: An apparent smoke bomb was thrown over the White House's fence Tuesday night, seen here in a file photo, as hundreds of Occupy Wall Street protesters massed outside forcing authorities to disperse the crowds
Mr and Mrs Obama were out for a night on the town to celebrate her 48th birthday.
Organizers had touted the rally, known as Occupy Congress, as the largest national gathering of Occupy protesters to date and secured a permit that would have allowed up to 10,000 people to participate. By mid-afternoon, the protest appeared to have fallen far short of those goals.
Still, participants said they were optimistic about the strength of the Occupy movement, which began in September when protesters pitched tents in a lower Manhattan park.
Earlier gathering: Hundreds of members of the 'Occupy' movement rallied on Capitol Hill, calling on lawmakers to have a greater focus on alleviating income inequalities, Tuesday
Target: The Occupy protesters secured a permit that would have allowed up to 10,000 people to participate Tuesday but fell short of their desired numbers
Location: The protesters demonstrated earlier in the day outside the Capitol as Congress returns from its winter recess before some spread toward the White House in the evening
The movement has since spread to dozens of cities, including Washington. While many cities have moved to evict the protesters, the National Park Service has allowed encampments to remain in two public squares near the White House.
'I'm encouraged,' said Jon Wynn, 63, of Snow Camp, N.C., who traveled to Washington to attend the protest and visit friends.' There's energy here, even if there's not a whole lot of people.'
Violations: Protesters were moved out of a restricted area on the West Lawn on Capitol Hill but by mid-afternoon four people had been arrested
Aggression: One protester expressed her disappointment those who carried profane signs and antagonized police, deviating from their core message of narrowing the gap between rich and poor
The protest comes amid numerous polls that show 84 percent of Americans disapprove of the job Congress is doing, near an all-time low.
While the rally was mostly peaceful, there were some scuffles between police and protesters along walkways leading to the Capitol.
By mid-afternoon Tuesday, four people had been arrested — U.S. Capitol Police said — one for allegedly assaulting a police officer and three accused of crossing a police line.
Arrests: Of the four arrests one was for allegedly assaulting a police officer and three accused of crossing a police line
Disapproval: Numerous polls show that 84 percent of Americans disapprove of the job Congress is doing, near an all-time low
The Occupy movement includes activists who want to change government from within and anarchists who oppose all government. Tension between the two camps was evident at Tuesday's gathering, where some taunted police while others participated in earnest group discussions about how to influence their elected representatives.
Anne Filson, 71, a retired teacher from Madison, N.H., said she was disappointed by the turnout and said Occupy protesters needed to stick to their core message of narrowing the gap between rich and poor.
Protesters did not help the cause by carrying profane signs and antagonizing police, she said.
Clash of views: The Occupy movement includes activists who want to change government from within and anarchists who oppose all government which tended to clash Tuesday
Mixed crowd: Some of the protesters taunted police while others participated in earnest group discussions about how to influence their elected representatives
'What I regret about some of the Occupy movements is the dilution of the message,' Filson said. 'A lot of Occupy people have to realize that they're being counterproductive.'
Later Tuesday, small groups of protesters entered House office buildings in a bid to meet with individual members of Congress. Participants later in the evening marched to the Supreme Court and the White House.
There were no arrests in the apparent smoke bomb incident, said George Ogilvie, U.S. Secret Service spokesman.
Practicing restraint: Many cities have evicted protesters but in Washington the National Park Service has allowed encampments to remain in two public squares near the White House
It was not clear whether the out-of-town protesters would swell the ranks of the two Occupy encampments in Washington.
Late Tuesday, a House oversight subcommittee announced that it would hold a hearing next week on why the protesters have been allowed to remain in McPherson Square — which city officials say is infested with rats — despite a ban on camping on park service property.
Protesters Rachel Marcotte and Taft Clark, 23, planned to return to their tent at Occupy New Haven in Connecticut, which has been compromised by snow.
'We're told that it's still up, but it's not looking good,' Mr Clark said. 'We have some work to do when we get back.'
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2088177/Occupy-protesters-cause-White-House-security-scare-leading-lock-down.html#ixzz1jsXMU3as
