Protesters associated with Occupy Wall Street are preparing for hostility from police as they plan a first-anniversary demonstration scheduled for Monday.
While the Occupy movement’s track record for nonviolence is far from immaculate, protesters continue to emphasize the mantra that theirs is a “peaceful protest.”
Occupy Wall Street PR Team member Ed Needham told The Daily Caller that the New York Police Department’s preference is to use force in dealing with protesters, saying that it is how Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly and Mayor Michael Bloomberg prefer to handle protesters.
“Are we wary? Absolutely,” Needham said.
Occupy Wall Street leaders have not had discussions with the NYPD about the logistics of their coming protest, a marked difference from their counterparts in Tampa during the Republican National Convention. Law enforcement met that protest with tolerance. (RELATED: Occupy Wall Street not talking with NYPD about first-anniversary protests)
Instead, given the past relationship between Occupy Wall Street and New York’s Finest, Needham said the occupiers are anticipating and addressing problems before they present themselves.
“We’re going to be holding a number of training sessions on Friday and Saturday on nonviolent civil disobedience,” he said. “We want to do our best to alleviate any tension that may arise.”