COURRIER MAIL - AAP - November 05, 20116:37PM
CHAOS has erupted at the Occupy Sydney protest, with several protesters being dragged away by police.
About 100 protesters had moved from an earlier rally at Martin Place on Saturday afternoon to Hyde Park to continue their protest against corporate greed.
Their protest was peaceful until police moved in to take down a tent set up by protesters.
Several people were dragged away by police as protesters chanted "Let them stay, let them stay" and called the police "nazis".
A strong police presence remains in the park, with at least 50 officers standing by.
Unlike last month's dawn raid that ended Occupy Sydney's week-long protest at Martin Place, protesters were prepared for police action, with many of them recording the chaotic scenes on cameras and mobile phones.
The Occupy Sydney activists, part of a worldwide protest against corporate excess, had earlier vowed to reoccupy Martin Place indefinitely, despite police assurances they would be removed at 4.30pm.
But they avoided immediate confrontation by moving to Hyde Park.
They had first gathered at Town Hall in the early afternoon, chanting, "99 per cent, 99 per cent, 99 per cent".
Maritime Union of Australia Sydney branch secretary Paul McAleer told the crowd they were part of "the most inspirational movement of working people in the history of humanity".
"It doesn't matter what country you live in or what union you belong to or what religion you are or what colour you are," he said to cheers.
"The 99 per cent says we are together and we are not going to be exploited or repressed any longer."
There was a significant police presence as the rally moved to Martin Place, with riot squad officers, mounted police and two police trucks on standby.
Occupy Sydney spokesman Ben Peterson told AAP the police response was disappointing.
"We're very disappointed police have turned up with mobile holding cells, horses, riot squad just around the corner," he said.
"If police try to move on a lawful public peaceful assembly, then that's a travesty on their part."
Last month, police were accused of using excessive force after 40 protesters were arrested in a dawn raid that ended the group's week-long protest in Martin Place.
Occupy Sydney has maintained there is no such thing as an illegal public assembly.
"It is perfectly within everyone's rights to assemble peacefully and in a public place and that's what we'll be doing," he said earlier on Saturday.
"The last thing Occupy is about is violent confrontations. It's about having a public discourse for as long as possible, involving as many people as possible."
A broad range of unions and activist groups were represented at the rally.
People from the Northern Territory Intervention, the NSW Teachers Federation, the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU), Lock the Gate anti-CSG mining group and refugee support groups were all present.
"Who are we?" an Occupy Sydney spokeswoman asked the crowd.
"We are the workers, we are the indebted, we are the immigrants and the indigenous. We are homeless, we are the students, we are the unemployed, we are the under-represented people of the world. We are the 99 per cent. We are Occupy Sydney."
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