The protesters who’ve occupied the state capitol grounds in Des Moines this week now have a permit to stay there 24 hours a day.
The “Occupy Des Moines” group is part a growing national movement against corporate influence in politics and the economy.
David Goodner, with Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement, joined others in applying for the permit today from the state Department of Administrative Services. State troopers arrested more than 30 protesters Sunday after they refused to leave the Capitol grounds at the required time of 11 p.m.
“I don’t think Occupy Des Moines wants a repeat of what happened Sunday and I don’t think the state troopers or state government wants a repeat of what happened Sunday. So, we got together at the same table and we figured out something that’s going to work for everybody,” Goodner said.
The permit is good for three days. Goodner says it’ll allow people to remain on the site all day and night to make speeches, rally and plan marches through Des Moines’ financial district. “This permit is really important because our enemy is not the police or state government. Our enemy is the big corporations on Wall Street,” Goodner told Radio Iowa.
“Now that we have permit, we can focus our attention on the real issue – which is Wall Street greed.” The protesters are planning to meet at 6 p.m. tonight on the grounds, now dubbed “People’s Park,” just west of the Capitol.
Similar “Occupy Wall Street” groups have been organized around the state.
Occupy Iowa on Facebook:www.facebook.com/#!/OccupyIOWA