Occupy Sarasota Join Protests Worldwide

Sarasota's version of the Occupy Wall Street movement took to the corner of Gulfstream and the Tamiami Trail Saturday morning, attracting more than 200 protesters. 

They joined protests in London, Berlin, Sydney, Toyko, Hong Kong and Rome, as well as the on-going "occupation" of Wall Street. The local group billed itself as non-political and non-partisan and featured no individual leader or main speaker.

They were armed with hand-lettered signs displaying the wide diversity of opinion in the gathering. "I'm with Robin Hood" stood next to "Buy Local." A "Jobs Now" sign was joined by "Democracy not Plutocracy."

Motorists honked as the drove by, and the vehicles were as diverse as the crowd. A pickup truck hauling a fishing boat, a new Benz, an old VW bus, all honked and waved. The crowd was mixed in age and attitude, from the elderly in wheel chairs to college students, business owners to the homeless, each with their own particular grievances.

After an hour of sign-waving, the demonstrators convened in what was dubbed as a "general assembly." Instead of a leader exhorting the crowd, people stepped forward to speak. With a show of hands, the assembly could support or oppose the speaker. 

Because a city ordinance requires a permit to use an amplifier, the crowd instead used a tactic called "mike check." As a speaker would begin, each phrase was repeated by the crowd so all could hear. Although clumsy at times, it proved not only simple but effective as each member could test the validity of the statements as they repeated them aloud.

By a show of hands, the assembly reached consensus to meet weekly on Thursdays, with the place to be determined later. The group will post the location on its website, occupysarasota.com