“Occupy DC,” an offshoot of the Occupy Wall Street movement, swarmed Union Station Thursday night to protest a speech by Wal-Mart Chairman Rob Walton at an event hosted by the non-profit advocacy group Conservation International. Union Station is Washington, D.C.’s train terminal, located just blocks from the Capitol.
Protesters chanted, “We are the 99 percent” while letting balloons loose. Station security attempted to stop the balloons from reaching the train terminal’s iconic high ceiling.
Police told The Daily Caller to stop “egging on” the protesters by conducting interviews.
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Two activists in the crowd told TheDC that they were volunteering their time to speak out against Conservation International’s connections to corporations. According to Forbes, Walton’s net worth exceeds $21 billion.
The dinner went on as scheduled, with Walton telling the audience, “I’m sorry you all were subjected to that, but I’m afraid it just comes with the territory for some of us, and it’s a part of what makes us a great country too.”
Attending the event was Democratic Virginia Rep. Jim Moran. He said the protests were misguided.
“I think if they [protesters] understood what Conservation International was doing, they would be much more receptive. In fact, they ought to be supportive.”