The populist-themed and increasingly popular "Occupy Wall Street" movement , as dozens of protestors gathered before the entrance to Bushnell Park in Hartford to express their dissatisfaction with what they termed income inequality and corporate greed.
What started as a small gathering of a handful of protestors shortly after 8 a.m. Wednesday had swelled to a large and vocal group that numbered close to 100 less than one hour later — and the movement showed no signs of losing steam as the morning wore on and more and more people seemed to be drawn to the crowd.
Many in the group expressed the sentiments echoed at "Occupy Wall Street" rallies across the country, summed up in the words of David Morse of Storrs, who carried a sign which read, "Tax the Rich."
New Canaan resident, Roger Bolton, former senior vice president of communications at Aetna, is today a trustee of the Arthur W. Page Society, an organization concerned about the obligation of business leaders to work to restore public trust.
He says he does not find the demonstrations surprising only that, "It's taken so long to germinate."
Bolton acknowledges that, fairly or not, some see business, the financial sector in particular, as operating on a, "Heads I win, tails you lose" basis. He says they need to adapt, "a strong sense of values and to have a business plan that aligns with public benefit," if they wish to dispel that notion.
Andries de Villiers, raised in New Canaan, today works in Manhattan and lives on Pine Street, not far from the birthplace of this movement.
Beyond the inconvenience of the barricades, police presence and requirements to present ID to enter his street, de Villiers said he questions the demonstator's purpose and goals.
De Villiers says there is real concern among police and residents that the scene downtown could become "aggressive" the longer it continues. "I probably speak for a lot of people in New York when I say it's just confusion ... I don't think any single one of them knows what they're protesting for."
