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- The Occupy National Gathering kicked off on June 30th, 2012 with a myriad of workshops, speakers, and a peaceful march against corporate personhood, making stops at Wells Fargo to protest racist predatory lending, Fox News to confront corporate profit at the expense of the peoples' airwaves, and ended with an attempt to set up a space away from Independence Mall - in a park behind the Second Bank of the United States, located at 4th and Chestnut. This was promptly -- and brutally -- followed by a National Park Service raid, which included the assistance of the Philadelphia police department, on approximately 150--200 people peacefully assembled for a redress of political grievances. The raid resulted in one arrest.
- The Occupy National Gathering working group strongly condemns this disproportionate law enforcement response - a trend repeatedly played out against the movement across the country - but will continue to urge Occupy protesters to remain nonviolent despite federal and municipal authorities' unwillingness to display restraint in the face of peaceful protesters.
- The Occupy National Gathering working group feels that disproportionate law enforcement response needlessly exacerbates peaceful protesters. We do not want this, and neither do the people who are visiting this city to enjoy their holiday weekend.
- ONG working group has publicly and repeatedly stated that we do not wish to disrupt people's holiday plans. We hope that the Philadelphia police department and the National Park Service share this sentiment as activists continue to arrive in Philadelphia to peacefully exercise their First Amendment right and people from across the country come to enjoy vacations.
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