Easton Man Leads "Occupy Allentown" Protest

The Occupy Wall Street protests in New York City has inspired at least two similar groups in the Lehigh Valley.

Leading one of the local movements is Easton's Adam Santo, who says he brought the demonstration to that city today after being inspired by what was happening in New York.

Turnout "fluctuated" between 15-30 people throughout the afternoon, Santo said in a phone interview late Monday afternoon from the corner of 7th and Hamilton streets in Allentown. Cars could be heard in the background, honking, Santo said, in support.

Monday's protest drew a mix of people, Santo said, from the Lehigh Valley, from Reading, from Philadelphia. One person had been to the protests in New York City.

Some were angry about the government's bank bailouts. Others were environmentalists. Still more held Ron Paul's anti-Federal Reserve views. The key, he said, is that they're angry.

"If we didn't pay our mortgage, we'd be out on the street," he said.

But why weren't they angry three years ago, when the bailouts actually happened?

Santo said he thinks everything just came to a head.

"I think things are happening now because the financial situation has gotten so bad," he said. "People can't get jobs that pay. People have student loans they can't afford to pay off."

He's one of those people: a bank teller who lost his job after his bank merged with another, Santo got his CDL license, but hasn't been able to find work as a truck driver.

Santo said he'll try to recruit more people from around the Lehigh Valley, although no events are planned for other communities.

Occupy Allentown is one of two local groups seemingly taking a page from what's happening in New York City. The other is known as "Occupy Bethlehem/Lehigh Valley." Santo said he hopes to join up with them at some point.

"These groups are just popping up everywhere," Santo said.