New York City police have arrested several Occupy protesters outside the Manhattan offices of the major US financial institution Bank of America, where demonstrators had gathered to protest the oppressive business practices of the bank.
The police made eight arrests on Tuesday as the protesters, the bank’s customers who had been harmed by its lending practices, waged the rally in midtown New York to demand an end to such policies on the eve of its annual shareholder meeting.
Nearly 100 demonstrators rallied peacefully outside the Bank of America high-rise building, complaining that the bank continues with its practice of foreclosing on its loan customers while posting huge profit following the massive taxpayer bailout it received from the US government.
The arrest of the protesters came when a number of the demonstrators briefly blocked busy midtown traffic with a protest banner that read, “Bank of America, Bad for America.”
“My house was foreclosed by Bank of America after I lost my job,” said a 49-year-old electrical engineer participating in the protest rally.
“It’s not a joke to live without a job. My family depends on me. We don’t deserve to be put on the street. I’ve tried to modify my mortgage five times with Bank of America, but they’d rather put it in a short sale,” added the protester.
The protest comes a day ahead of the bank’s annual shareholder meeting in Charlotte, North Carolina. A huge demonstration is scheduled to take place there as well, Press TV reported.
