Hundreds of angry protesters are expected in downtown Phoenix this afternoon to march from the downtown Civic Space to Cesar Chavez Plaza as the precursor to tomorrow's scheduled "Occupy Phoenix" demonstration.
However, "THIS IS NOT THE OCCUPATION," the group behind the "Occupy Phoenix" movement says.
Today's march, scheduled to kick off at 3 p.m., is the "pre-occupation," according to the occupiers.
Following the short march, the Haymarket Squares will be playing live at Cesar Chavez Plaza. Then, organizers plan to gather on the corner of 2nd Street and Van Buren Street to serve as the backdrop to Channel 12's 5 p.m. newscast.
If you've seen any of the coverage of the "Occupy Wall Street" movement, you know the "occupiers" aren't seen as the ideal voices for social change -- they've been described as drugged-out, pissed-off hippies who are just looking for an excuse to pretend it's 1968.
Phoenix's occupation seems like it's on a similar track.
Aside from protesters apparently not knowing what it is they actually hope to accomplish by camping out in downtown Phoenix (on the group's Facebook page, organizers say "it is our time to rise, Arizona," but then ask "what will be our demands?"), Arizona State University student Gil Ortega posted the following on the group's Facebook page:
.
His comment wasn't well received."Why dose it matter how we are dressed? Hippies have a specific attire now? Don't label people," Marisa Mata writes in response to Ortega's comment.
Jay Led explains why -- on some level -- it does matter how the demonstrators dress and act if they want to be taken seriously.
Regardless of what the occupiers wear, the actual "Occupation" starts tomorrow at Cesar Chavez Plaza. We'll be there, so check back with us for details.
