Occupy protesters show up at foreclosure sales

By Christopher Quinn

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Occupy protesters showed up at monthly home foreclosure auctions on courthouse steps in three counties Tuesday, with one protester arrested in Fulton County.

The auctions in Gwinnett and DeKalb counties, each attended by as many as a dozen protesters, went quietly, witnesses said.

Several dozen protesters stood in the rain at the Fulton courthouse, making noise to protest the foreclosures nonviolently.

Tracy Flanagan, a spokeswoman for the Fulton County Sheriff's Office, said protesters were blowing whistles, holding up signs, speaking loudly over the auctions "and kind of blocking the sidewalk."

Tim Franzen, who is associated with the Occupy movement, said the protesters were trying to disrupt the taking of people's homes.

One of the Fulton County protesters who had a megaphone was arrested for disrupting a lawful meeting, Flanagan said.

Franzen said deputies were protecting the banks rather than people.

The Occupy movement has adopted home foreclosure as one of the issues that represents economic problems in the U.S.

Beginning this week, protesters plan to camp in the yards of two homeowners -- one in Atlanta and one in Riverdale -- who are in imminent danger of being evicted, Franzen said.