Politics

Van Jones: ‘Stand in solidarity with Occupy Wall Street’

Nicholas Ballasy Senior Video Reporter
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Former White House green jobs czar Van Jones called on Americans to “stand in solidarity with Occupy Wall Street” and praised protesters’ refusal on Friday to leave their encampment in New York as “truly amazing” and “a victory.”

“Truly amazing,” read a statement released via email by the non-profit organization “Rebuild the Dream.”

“Early this morning in New York, faced with the threat of eviction, the protesters at Occupy Wall Street were joined by union members, by community organizers, and by thousands of other New Yorkers standing in solidarity with them,” Jones gushed. “And because they refused to back down, the park’s owners had to.”

“This victory in New York shows how powerful we can be when we all stand together,” he said.

Jones encouraged individuals to “protest Wall Street greed” at events across the country on Saturday and provided a link to a list of protest locations.

“When the news broke yesterday that Mayor Bloomberg was planning to evict protesters from Zuccotti Park, the response was amazing,” the email said. (RELATED: Occupy Wall Street protesters thwart cleanup, claim victory)

“More than 500,000 people signed petitions from Rebuild the Dream, MoveOn, the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, AFL-CIO, CREDO, and many other groups. The petitions were delivered to City Hall, and tens of thousands across the country backed them up with calls demanding the mayor not interfere with the protests,” Jones wrote.

The message called Saturday “the opportunity for all of us, all across the country, to stand in solidarity with Occupy Wall Street.”

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