There were over one hundred tents that sat on the wet grass of Pioneer Park, Thursday evening in Salt Lake City, Utah. The tents contained local area protesters who have now brought the protest of Occupy Wall Street to what is now known as Occupy Salt Lake City. The park is currently overrun with local protesters, the homeless, the police, and those who have come to see what the commotion is all about. The people all have gathered to the park for different reasons however, they all yearn change."Everybody just wants to see a change... The banks got a big ol' bailout. Why don't we get a bailout, I want a bailout, someone bail me out," says Kenny Blubaugh as he finished setting up the last of his tent.
In the middle of the park Tyler Galovich a volunteer for Occupy Salt Lake City, sat at a table with a sign, "Take an opinion and leave an opinion." When asked what his major ambition was for helping out with Occupy Salt Lake City he said,
"The government themselves are putting so much effort into trying to silence us and trying to silence the message. Our main point in which we all standby is we want corporate money out of the government. All we want is there to be a regulation."
Galovich explained that there was no leader of the Occupy Salt Lake City and that the protesters only want to be referred to as individuals and not as a group. The one thing which unifies them is that they are all out for change.
"I think we're all here for something. I think some of us don't even know why we're here. But in all honesty there is something horribly wrong with the government. This movement is not really designed to necessarily form a political view but it is to actually reform and change all of the other political views. Come on down, the soup is really f----ing good. You have to just be here," said Sebastian Ivesch, as he sat in the dark in front of his tent eating free soup from Occupy Salt Lake City's Cafe.
Galovich explained that they are protected by the first amendment to gather peacefully in a public area. Occupy Salt Lake City has two demonstrations daily and does not protest in Pioneer Park.
"It's actually one of our camp rules not to bring the protest into camp. As soon as we hit the sidewalk and get out of the perimeter it's on," said Galovich.
The protest of Occupy Wall Street has spread throughout major cities across the United States. However, police have made arrests in the following cities: New York, Austin, Portland, Seattle, Gainesville, Cincinnati, Salem, Denver, Des Moines, Chicago, Milwaukee, Sacramento, San Francisco, Houston, Santa Barbara, and Oakland.
When asked about Occupy Salt Lake City being shutdown Galovich replied, "We'll see what happens when it gets to that point." He stated that they are currently trying to get a permit to go to Liberty Park. Pioneer Park or not, the protesters will continue to make their voices heard until they receive change.
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