CLARIFICATION: In the original version of this article, The Daily Tar Heel stated that Josh Harris, a Raleigh native who was arrested for protesting, had a “new criminal record.” The Daily Tar Heel would like to clarify that Harris was arrested on second-degree trespassing charges. His court date is in December. The Daily Tar Heel apologizes for the error.
Late Saturday, in the shadow of the Wake County Jail, a crowd of Occupy Raleigh protesters gathered to cheer on fellow occupiers who found themselves on the wrong side of barred windows.
Protesters convened at the N.C. Capitol, planning to stay indefinitely.
But for some that stay was cut short after 19 were arrested, according to a statement from the Raleigh Police Department.
The protest began at the Capitol grounds at 11 a.m. and grew into the group’s largest gathering yet, with crowd estimations of more than 1,000.
Calling themselves the 99 percent, Occupy Wall Street activists and others have gathered in cities around the country and throughout the world, angry with what they see as the disproportionate power, influence and wealth of the other 1 percent of the population.
When the Occupy Raleigh group’s permit to gather on the Capitol grounds expired at 3 p.m., the 19 people who refused to relocate off the grass were charged with second-degree trespassing.
Josh Harris, a Raleigh native and former financial adviser, was one of the protestors arrested.
“I’m fighting for a more level playing field,” he said. “Honest capitalism. I’m fighting for a return to credit unions and community savings. I see a local solution as a great alternative.”
