Occupy OKC Protester Talks About Movement One Year Later

Protestors camped out in downtown Oklahoma City for months as a way of joining the national movement. Although the tents are gone, part of their action still exists one year later.

Monday, September 17th 2012, 6:59 pm

By: News 9

Occupy OKC Protester Talks About Movement One Year Later

Protestors camped out in downtown Oklahoma City for months as a way of joining the national movement. Although the tents are gone, part of their action still exists one year later.

Occupy OKC protestors refused to move their camp out of downtown. Some even openly admitted they were more than willing to get arrested to support their beliefs.

In the end, a few protestors were cuffed and are still dealing with the consequences.

Mark Faulk and other Occupy protestors hoped to break through the societal barriers in the very spot where new walls stand. The tent city that once took over Kerr Park in downtown Oklahoma City is now under construction, just like the movement itself.

Faulk says protestors with Occupy OKC are now pursuing individual interest rather than peaceful rallies, like the one at a Del City Wal-Mart last winter.

Faulk says their eventual arrest that night, in a sense, was an accomplishment if nothing else. He believes it creates awareness of financial inequality.

Still, the protestors are dealing with the disorderly conduct charges against them, as well as a civil suit they filed on the arresting officer. After nine months, their attorney says both parties finally reached a settlement.

Because Faulk says Occupy OKC is here to stay even if they cannot camp out.

Oklahoma Police say from during the Occupy protests, approximately a two month span, police spent more than $84,000 on enforcement alone. That does not include the health, parks and sanitation department that also had extra work with the tent city down-tone.

Occupy OKC protestors say plans are in the works for a one year anniversary event on October 10.