AUSTIN -- Occupy Austin is an offshoot to what started in New York last month during Occupy Wall Street. So far, police report the protest in Austin has taken place without incident.
Protesters say their demonstration could last for days or even weeks. Austin police say as long as no one camps out or sleeps on the City Hall grounds, the protesters are free to come and go and voice their First Amendment rights.
Many of the more than 1,000 protesters believe corporations have caused the death of our country's financial situation.
"They are taking from us," said Andrew Keul, from Austin. "We are the 99 percent; they are the one percent that control everything in this country."
The main concern for police was protesters spilling out into traffic. So officers were watching to make sure waving and sign holding stayed on the sidewalk.
"The Austin Police Department's Crowd Control Unit's motto is 'Protect the First,'" said Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo. "That means we are here to protect the First Amendment rights of the people, these Austinites. We are going to do that by having an appropriate police presence and by facilitating their efforts as much as we can."
KVUE asked protesters if demonstrations like this are effective in getting out the message.
"The world is watching," said Keul. "You are here aren't you? So it must be working."
"It started in New York, and now we are here in Texas talking about the same thing and doing the same thing," said Marissa Melnikov, a student at Texas State. "I want to see real change come out of this. I want things to be different. We deserve it."
"Today might not do anything, but if we keep this up and keep putting pressure something has to give at some point," said Keul. "That may take days, months, years, but it will happen if the people are willing and they are."
Meanwhile Thursday afternoon just south of City Hall, homeless advocates gathered for their own protest at Auditorium Shores. They hoped to cover the lawn with tents in protest. Within one hour of pitching the first tent officers told them to take it down. Strict park regulations forbid camping at Auditorium Shores.
