Tuesday’s planned “Millionaires March” is expected to bring protesters to the homes (or at least the lobbies) of five of New York City’s wealthiest residents: Rupert Murdoch, JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon, David Koch, financier Howard Milstein, and hedge-funder John Paulson. (Absent from the list is Mayor Bloomberg, which is probably for the best.) The action is part of two protests planned for Tuesday and Wednesday that aim to mimic the success of last week’s union-led march, perhaps a turning point for public perception of the demonstration’s legitimacy.
The move to target rich New Yorkers is being spearheaded by the Working Families Party, New York Communities for Change, Strong Economy for All, and United NY, and will take the protesters out of their lower Manhattan headquarters and into the Upper East Side, a more residential bastion of wealth. The crowd is scheduled to travel uptown from 59th Street and Fifth Avenue at 12:30 p.m. and will call for an extension of the state millionaire’s tax, which expires at the end of the year and is opposed by Governor Cuomo. “Ninety-nine percent of the residents of New York are going to suffer from this tax giveaway so the 1 percent who already live in absolute luxury can put more money in their pockets,” explained one march organizer. “This is fiscally, economically and morally wrong.”
The following day, the country’s largest private sector union, SEIU 32BJ, will call for its workers to march to the Financial District, where they hope to be joined by those in the midst of contract negotiations, like Verizon workers and art auctioneers at Sotheby’s, who are going into their third month of a lockout.
Yesterday, the protesters in Zuccotti Park hosted some bold-faced names, too, welcoming frequent visitor Russell Simmons (and guest), as well as the Reverend Al Sharpton, whose radio show was broadcast live outside. “I don’t pay enough taxes, and I know it,” Simmons said on the show. “I’m happy to pay a little more taxes if it means better education for our children.” His house, then, will probably be safe this afternoon.
This post has been updated with additional information.
’Millionaire’ home visits add to Wall Street protests [Crain’s New York]
Occupy Wall Street Heads to Upper East Side for ‘Millionaire’s March’ [DNA Info]
Occupy Wall Street protesters plan ‘Millionaires March’ to Rupert Murdoch’s, tycoons’ NYC homes [NYDN]
