Occupy Kentucky Updates

Occupy Lexington and Occupy Louisville are still going strong. Occupy Lexington planned a march last night. I will update with coverage when it appears.

Tom Eblen at the Herald:

The casually dressed Occupy Wall Street protesters in downtown Lexington last Wednesday evening looked curiously at one another when Richard Knittel approached wearing a suit and tie.

He didn't want to argue with them. He wanted to join them.

Knittel, 69, of Versailles, explained that he isn't against capitalism — among other things, he is chairman of a Canadian company that uses environmentally friendly technology to mine metals. But he agreed with the protesters that big money has too much influence in America, especially when it comes to profit-driven disregard for the environment.

"I want people to see that even people with suits on are joining this," Knittel said before picking up a spare protest sign and waving to passing motorists on Main Street.

From the Courier:

Louisville metro government will allow downtown to be occupied at least through the end of the year.

The protest group known as Occupy Louisville, an independent offshoot of the Occupy Wall Street movement in New York City, has received a city permit allowing protesters to spend nights in Jefferson Square Park through Dec. 31.

The Occupy movement is a protest of corporate influence in government and growing wealth disparity in America. The movement started last month in New York City and has now spread to more than 70 cities, including some in foreign countries.

The only stipulation in the permit for Occupy Louisville is that protesters are not allowed to spend the night in the park during the weekend of Light Up Louisville, Nov. 25-27. They can reoccupy the park starting Nov. 28.

The permit also asks that protesters “work to accommodate” other groups permitted to use the park, and clean up trash, litter and cigarette butts daily.

Occupy member Jason Whirlwind said the group has no problem with the stipulations because the group is all about respecting people and property.

Far be it from me to criticize Occupy Louisville - I'm not down there sleeping on the sidewalk - so I will just quote someone at Occupy Wall Street: "It's a protest, not a permitted picnic."

But the park permit allows Louisville Occupiers to maintain their tents instead of striking them every morning and moving. It also gives them access to the open-all-night restrooms across the street.

Read the whole thing, including praise from the Mayor's Office and support from Food Not Bombs.