Protesters Converge on Tampa for Republican Convention
August 28, 2012
More than three years after the U.S. economy fell into deep recession, protesters outside the Republican National Convention point to what they call a continuing crisis of unemployment and homelessness. As delegates prepare to nominate Mitt Romney amidst a glitzy three-day party in Tampa, Florida, demonstrators camped out in the heavy rains of a tropical storm.
So far, protesters marching on downtown Tampa's mostly deserted streets are outnumbered by police and news reporters. Police are telling protesters not to cover their faces or engage in threatening behavior. Though mostly peaceful, some still wear helmets and masks.
“It is for our own protection; basically, that is all it really is - to avoid being targeted as an individual,” one protester said.
They have come from around the country to camp out in parks and small lots like this rented space which they call “Romneyville.” The name alludes to homeless camps, called “Hoovervilles,” during the Great Depression, named after then-President Herbert Hoover. Camp organizer Bruce Wright says the name is appropriate, given the high unemployment rate and homelessness in the Tampa area.
“We have the same kind of foreclosure crisis today and the people in this camp are a mixture of homeless, formerly homeless, poor people, unemployed people and just different activist groups,” he said.
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