November 2, 2011
SEATTLE – Five Occupy Seattle protesters were arrested Wednesday after they refused to leave a Chase Bank branch on Capitol Hill, while about 150 others marched through the streets of Seattle, blocking traffic and shouting slogans.
Later, the protesters rallied and chanted outside a downtown hotel where the group’s Public Enemy No. 1 – a JP Morgan Chase official – was speaking inside at a business dinner.
Witnesses said the incident began around 2:15 p.m. when protesters marched from Seattle Central Community College and set up at the corner of East Thomas Street and Broadway in front of a Chase Bank branch.
Seattle police blocked the bank entrance – but a few managed to get inside. They were laying on their backs with their arms locked together.
A press release sent later in the afternoon stated that their intent was to “interrupt business as usual” and promote their views on corporations and banks.
Five protesters who refused to leave were arrested. But when police tried to take them away, other protesters stormed the street – blocking police cars.
A confrontation ensued, and a KOMO NewsRadio reporter witnessed some people being pepper-sprayed by police during the altercations.
Police eventually managed to regain control of the situation, and about 100 Occupy Seattle protesters began marching again – this time towards Westlake Park.
By about 6 p.m., the protesters were outside the Sheraton Hotel in downtown Seattle, where JP Morgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon was speaking at a business dinner.
There were unconfirmed reports that some protesters were throwing bottles at police as the demonstration continued.
And some protesters reportedly were trying to get inside the hotel so they could speak directly with Dimon.
