Vanderbilt junior Hirak Pati was one of the 700 protestors arrested on the Brooklyn Bridge during September's Occupy Wall Street protests in New York. This is a firsthand account of his experience.

On Saturday afternoon, I started marching around 3 p.m. with about 1,500 or so other protesters from Zuccoti Park. I knew a few of them from the park that I had met the previous day. They were all different on the political spectrum, some were very liberal, some were Democrats, and some were very libertarian carrying End the Fed signs and Ron Paul 2012. I was shouting slogans along with others, like "We are the 99 percent, and so are you!" and "Tell me what Democracy looks like, this is what Democracy looks like," and "The people united will never be defeated!"

 

I personally went there to protest corporate and Wall Street greed. I believe that corporations and big banks have taken over the political process and the voice of the citizen really does not matter any more. These days money talks louder than the constituents, so it doesn't matter who we vote for. We still end up with candidates on both sides of the aisle, who are listening to special interest groups, far more closely than the American people. 

 

The march eventually reached the Brooklyn Bridge. The New York Police Department was letting us onto the side of the bridge with cars so I decided to jump over to that side from the walkway. We were allowed about a third of the way up the bridge before we were forced to stop by the police. We were then enclosed by orange nets and the police paddy wagons and buses on the opposite side. After standing around for quite a while, I figured out that I was probably going to be arrested. They were taking the men into custody first so I walked over to a police officer, emptied my pockets to show I had no weapons, and was taken away in plastic handcuffs. They hurt more because I had to hold my heavy backpack while handcuffed before I was lead into one of the buses. They then bused us over to one of the jails.

 

At the jail, the police officers cut my plastic handcuffs. I was photographed with my arresting officer. Then they put us into a holding cell with about 120 other people. Every-time someone walked in we clapped and shouted approval and every-time some was released we did the same. This continued from about 7 p.m. or so to 2:10 a.m. when I was finally released along with four others who were grouped with me. We were issued a desk appearance ticket to appear for court summons on Nov. 16. There were two counts of disorderly conduct and one traffic violation on the ticket. After being released I went to the park, talked to everyone I could, and then had to catch a 6 a.m. flight back to Nashville.

 

As for now, I've tried to be an advocate for Occupy Wall Street by telling people about my experiences and encouraging them to get involved in occupations in their own communities.  I will continue to support the movement when I have the time to do so. 

 

The future for me looks uncertain. We as young people are facing some of the toughest economic times in decades so it will be difficult to find work coming out of college. However, I hope to find a job that benefits the public as a whole perhaps in the non-profit sector or at a think tank such as the Center for American Progress. 

 

The future for the movement looks very bright. There are many young people at the square and in other places across the United States that are ready to step into the roles that will be required to keep the movement's goals in sight as it gains momentum. The danger is that the movement will be co-opted into another group's agenda. I would like for the movement to remain non-partisan and working simply for the benefit of the 99 percent of Americans.

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From The Editor:
Here is a video taken of the Brooklyn Bridge arrests during the Occupy Wall Street protests.