Protesters Are Awesome: This Cop Stood with OWS Today and Was Arrested For It

All hell broke loose in New York City today, as hundreds of people supporting Occupy Wall Street marched through lower Manhattan's financial district toward the stock exchange. The OWS headquarters was forced out of Zuccotti Park in a controversial midnight raid two days ago, and today was a mass gathering in response. "We need to prove we can exist anywhere," one protester told Reuters. "It's gone beyond a single neighborhood, it's really an idea."

Clashes between cops and protesters resulted in dozens of arrests. In one case, police busted one of their own. Retired Philadelphia police Captain Ray Lewis was holding up a sign that read, "NYPD Don't Be Wall Street Mercenaries," when he was arrested this morning and hauled off to jail. Protesters cheered and jeered as Lewis went quietly.

---

A lot of naysayers have written off OWS as nothing but a glorified hippie drum circle. This is a reminder that the movement also encompasses people like Captain Lewis, a senior citizen and public servant. Like every person and group in society, OWS contains multitudes.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yw5l0F-pe78

Photo via Twitpic user @Matthew4300