Occupy Wall St. Goes Global

The Occupy Wall St. movement spread overseas Saturday, with demonstrators taking to the streets in cities in Europe, Asia, South America, and Africa. About 200 people turned out in Tokyo, while protests are also planned in Australia, Britain, France, Kenya, South Africa, Russia, Mexico, and Venezuela. The movement’s central site, United for Global Change, says 951 cities in 82 countries will participate in rallies. Bankers, however, don’t seem to be taking the protests very seriously in private. “Most people view it as a ragtag group looking for sex, drugs and rock ’n’ roll,” one hedge-fund manager tells The New York Times. A bank executive says it’s “fringe groups” while a money manager calls them “just disgruntled people.” The money manager is particularly angry at New York Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand for not coming to their defense, despite Wall Street’s generous campaign contributions: “They need to understand who their constituency is.”