Two injured at Occupy protests

By Jessica Binsch
November 4, 2011 - 07:52 pm

(AP, ABC7) Demonstrators blocked streets around the D.C. Convention Center Friday night in protest against a conservative conference there.

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Protesters sit in the street near the convention center in this photo posted to Twitter (Courtesy Sara Shaw).

One person was struck by a car, D.C. Police confirm. The person was struck at 7th and K streets Northwest. A protester said she was dragged by the car for a number of feet. Angry protesters subsequently swarmed the grey vehicle. Police moved protesters away from the car, apparently to be able to move the car to another location for a police interview.

Police say two protesters were taken to the hospital with non-serious injuries. Later, five people were arrested, according to protesters.

Some conference attendees are inside the center at a dinner event. Protesters who are part of the Occupy D.C. group first blocked the intersection of 7th and L streets Northwest and have now surrounded the convention center, according to multiple reports on Twitter. D.C. Police says there have been no arrests.

The conservative group Americans for Prosperity is hosting its annual "Defending the American Dream" summit at the convention center Friday and Saturday.

   
person struck    
Police and protesters stand around the car that allegedly struck a person at the Occupy DC protest at the Convention Center (Photo: Kristen R. McGrath/ WJLA)

A video apparently showing the protesters was posted on the Twitter account @Occupy_DC. 

 

 

 

 

protesters    
Protesters reach the doors of the convention center Friday night. (Photo posted to Twitter by Sara Shaw, used with permission)

 

 

Embattled Republican presidential contender Herman Cain gave a speech to Americans for Prosperity Friday, defending his connection to the billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch who head the group. Americans for Prosperity has ties to the tea party and lobbies for lower taxes, less regulation and spending.

The conference was also set to feature sessions on the state budget crisis, on organizing grassroots movement through social media and on "Tea Party Best Practices."

The Occupy protesters view the conference and its speakers as part of a “corporate-political alliance against the common good”, according to an announcement posted on the website OccupyDC.org. Next to Cain, they specifically mention Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney, who was set to speak at the conference, as well as the Koch brothers.

Cain noted a New York Times story on the relationship, saying the newspaper was seeking to "attract more attention." Cain said he was "very proud" to know the Koch brothers. He said, "I am the Koch brothers' brother from another mother ... and proud of it."

Cain's links to the Koch brothers could undercut his outsider, non-political image among people fed up with conventional politics.

 

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