Occupy DC Shuts Down Chamber of Commerce

(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)Over a thousand protestors shut down the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Thursday afternoon, chanting “Where are the jobs?” mockingly beneath the big “JOBS” banner across the Chamber’s headquarters on H Street and Connecticut Avenue. Marching over from Freedom Plaza where Occupy DC yesterday launched an  occupation, the crowd paused briefly in front of the White House and then took over H Street in front of the Chamber as employees inside peered out from upper windows. As a line of police stood before the Chamber’s tightly-shut brass doors, gleaming brightly in the afternoon sunshine, a protestor shouted “The Chamber of Commerce is an accessory to the economic crimes committed by Goldman Sachs and Morgan Chase and they should be arrested!”  Noting that “corporations are sitting on trillions in profits,” a speaker at the rally said that the Chamber and its members “don’t care about small businesses, families and local communities; they speak only for the powerful 1% and we the 99% are sick of it!” A substitute teacher who had traveled from Portland, OR for the rally told Union City that he had made the journey because “I’m angry at what’s been going on… I want more taxes on the rich and to put more money into schools and social services.” Referring to the stalemated two-party system, another said “I’m sick of being told to choose between the lesser of two evils.” As the crowd surged forward, chanting “We want to work!” and “I want a job!”, Code Pink’s Medea Benjamin (above left) tried to deliver a sheaf of resumes to the Chamber. The police allowed her through but no one answered her knock at the massive Chamber doors. “The Chamber pollutes our democracy with cash,” said a protestor; “Shut it down!” roared the crowd. After marching down K Street, the demonstrators returned to Freedom Plaza, where more activities are planned today. Click here for a schedule of events and for more info check out the October2011 and OccupyDC websites, or follow StopTheMach2011 and occupykst and Occupy_DC on Twitter.
- report by Chris Garlock & Julia Kann / photo by Chris Garlock