OCCUPY SYDNEY PROTESTER ARRESTED IN MARTIN PLACE

Melanie Kembrey and Gareth Hutchens – Sydney Morning Herald - October 16, 2011

Police seized belongings, including tents, from protesters who had planned to camp in Sydney's city centre last night as part of the international Occupy Wall Street protest against corporate greed. One protester was arrested.

Riot Squad officers, including police on horseback, attended the protest in Martin Place.

About 200 people remained at the protest, Occupy Sydney, that had begun during the day and is based on the Occupy Wall Street movement started in September.

The group had set up a camp of tents and gazebos outside the Reserve Bank earlier in the evening and organisers had said they planned to occupy the site for days.

One of the organisers, Mark Goudkamp, said police were staging "a massive show of force" when they arrived and removed tents and equipment from protesters.

"It's a completely disproportionate response. The biggest threat we posed was maybe a few people singing on a guitar," Mr Goudkamp said.

Police said the protesters would not be allowed to camp overnight but could remain in the space.

One of the protesters, university student Remy Low, 28,  said he had protested most of they day and planned to stay the night.

"The sense of people here is that there is a systematic problem in society and significant change is needed," he said.

At least 500 people also gathered at City Square in Melbourne yesterday carrying banners and calling for an end to "greed".

Speakers in Sydney urged protesters to bring corporate power to account and to reject the policies that have "enriched 1 per cent of the world's population at the expense of the other 99".

Occupy Wall Street organisers, relying heavily on Facebook and Twitter to garner support, were hoping for demonstrations overnight in 951 cities across 82 countries in Europe, North America, Latin America,  Asia and Africa.

Read more: Occupy Melbourne and Sydney