NEW YORK – Some women from Kansas were taking in as much of New York City as they could Wednesday. They hopped on a subway, watched the construction at the World Trade Center site and visited lower Manhattan’s newest tourist destination: the park where Occupy Wall Street protesters have camped out for more than a month.
It’s now common to see tourists at Zuccotti Park taking photographs of themselves, with protesters in the background. On a typical day they clog the pedestrian traffic in the area, which is often bustling with financial district employees pushing their way through.
Additional Photos
Jackie Qualizza of Bucyrus, Kansas, challenged protester Art Udeykin, asking him to explain the purpose of the demonstration, which has inspired similar activism in many cities across the nation and around the world.
“Right now, we don’t have a goal — except to back away from the system that’s not working,” replied Udeykin, a 23-year-old Russian-born Iowan.
“This is a way to feel free, to feel normal.”
Qualizza said she couldn’t see herself demonstrating, but added, “I don’t disagree with them. The government bailed out everyone, and things are still not working. Something has to change.”
The protest against corporate influence in government and wealth inequality has many of the things tourists look for, including photo-worthy moments and even some trinkets.
In this case, the T-shirts and buttons offered by protesters are generally free, though they accept donations.
The double-decker buses offering tours of Manhattan pass by on Broadway, with guides pointing out the park site and tourists — in sunny weather — often waving sympathetically at protesters from the top decks.
Wednesday was rainy, but visitors included a group of Chinese tourists accompanied by an interpreter and a guide.
Visitors do get a show at times. Shawn Lahey, a ruler factory worker from Poughkeepsie, watched a dancing man holding a pole marked “corporation,” attached to a noose marked “financial system” — from which another dancing man was “hanging.” Masked drummers provided a thumping soundtrack.
“I think it’s great — they’re trying to make a point,” Lahey said, though he added with a wry smile, “… I don’t think it’ll make any difference … The government won’t make any changes, because it’s all about money.”
Molly Schwad, a jeweler from Kansas traveling with Qualizza and other friends, said she was surprised by what she saw, compared to the TV coverage of the protest movement.
She saw a rather quiet encampment in the rain, of only about 200 people.
“I thought it was much bigger,” Schwad said.
“We were afraid there might be violence here.”
Marsha Spencer, an unemployed seamstress knitting in the rain at the park Wednesday, gives visitors a view of the protests they may not have expected to see.
She returns to her home in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood at night but spends most of each day at the protest.
“When people see a 56-year-old grandmother sitting here, knitting — they pay attention,” she said.
“I tell them I’m here because I want things to change for my five grandchildren.”
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.