Prince George residents became the latest to demonstrate what democracy looks like as more than 100 people occupied the front of City Hall this weekend.
The city took the distinction of hosting the northernmost Occupy Wall Street-style protest in the Americas on Saturday.
While the initial protest, which began in New York City last month, was a call to arms against corporate bailouts and financial deregulation, the movement has grown as it has spread across the globe.
In Prince George, the assembled - a diverse mix including young children and seniors - brought a variety of issues and injustices to the table.
"This is supposed to be a festival, a carnivalesque rebellion," Reeanna Bradley, one of the event's organizers, told the crowd members who sported placards and signs proclaiming slogans such as "I am not your ATM," "Stop Enbridge," "The whole world is going bankrupt to whom?" and "Invest in art, not stocks."
A steady stream of speakers took to the microphone to share their thoughts or recite poetry about government injustices, addiction, anarchy, the environment and consumerism.
The organizers pulled the event together in less than a week. Northern HIV and Health Education Society executive director Mary Jackson applauded their energy and commitment to the cause.
"I want to thank you for caring while others sit back, apathetic and at times sarcastic and critical. The number of people here means you are not alone and your work this week was worthwhile," Jackson said.
Bradley told The Citizen the organizers had no expectations for the turnout but felt it was important to hold the event.
"Every community needs to take part or nothing will be accomplished," she said. "The idea is to be a swarm."
The mainstream perception of the Occupy Wall Street movement as not having a cohesive message is a misnomer, Bradley said.
The movement's unofficial web site (occupywallst.org) said the cause "empowers real people to create real change from the bottom up ... because we don't need Wall Street and and we don't need politicians to build a better society."
The protesters are highlighting a variety of issues that it would be in any corporation's best interests to address.
"There's not a lot of foresight," Bradley said. "Anything that doesn't fit into a business model is called an externality and doesn't factor into the equation."
Bradley said this message is getting across to the people who want to hear it, regardless of what information media producers are putting out there.
"The revolution will not be televised. You're not going to talk about your own demise," she said, adding those who want to become engaged can do their own research about what's actually occurring.
University of Northern British Columbia student Serena Black said she was attending the event for many reasons and was glad to see it come to Prince George.
"I just feel there's a lot of inequality in every community," she said, adding there needs to be support for those who experience it daily. "I don't come from a particularly oppressed background, but I'm trying to create my own understanding and awareness of how other people have suffered."
