Occupy Atlanta settles into Woodruff Park

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By Bill Rankin

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Day Two of the occupation began quietly Saturday morning as chilly and groggy members of the protest group Occupy Atlanta emerged from their tents in Woodruff Park and then set about planning the day's activities.

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Hyosub Shin, hshin@ajc.com Hundreds of protesters gather for the Occupy Atlanta rally at Woodruff Park in downtown Atlanta on Friday.

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Workshops on first aid and the news media were held during the day and a general assembly was planned for the early evening.

On Friday, several hundred members rallied in the park to protest corporate greed and the war in Afghanistan. Early Saturday, a few dozen milled about the park enjoying the warm sunshine and cups of coffee.

The protests are timed for the 10th anniversary for the war in Afghanistan and patterned after an Occupy group that has been encamped in Zuccotti Park in New York since mid-September.

"This is our solidarity movement with them," said Lyndsey DeBoard, a 21-year-old Georgia State University student.

DeBoard said Atlanta police initially told the protesters to stay on the sidewalks but later allowed them to set up a dozen or so tents in Woodruff Park in downtown Atlanta.

"They said we could as long as we behaved ourselves," she added.

When asked how long the Occupy group planned to stay there, Rob Call of Snellville answered, "As long as possible. It's very collaborative."

Vincent Castillenti acknowledged the group does not have formal demands and also has no true leader.

"We are seeing people come here from a lot of backgrounds and interests," he said. "We're figuring out what needs to happen. We're just getting started."

He and Marlon Kautz, both from Copwatch of East Atlanta, a group that patrols the city and films police activity, gave instructions to protesters on the rights of those being questioned by authorities.

The Occupy groups' liberal causes have drawn criticism from a variety of sources, particularly conservative politicians. U.S. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., for example, has called the gatherings "mobs."