Occupy Delaware stages “guerilla theater” performance in Wilmington

Steps away from the entrance of a bank building, members of Occupy Delaware send a message through a street performance.

The Occupy movement, now in its seventh month, visited Chase bank headquarters on Walnut Street Wednesday.  Role-players acted as bankers, “enabling” politicians, and “intervenors” – portrayers  of homeless veterans, laid-off teachers and students drowning in debt. 

Phillip Bannowsky, who wrote and narrated the short act of what he termed “guerilla theater,” said the actors also talked about “treatment options: various policies that would benefit the 99-percent of the people, such as getting money out of politics, bringing back Glass-Steagall which would separate investment banking from commercial banking, and stop the whole onslaught of privatization.”

The performance ended with a short march.  Some performers also wrote messages in chalk on the brick sidewalk near the bank building.

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Kristina Lynn of Delaware City said she has been a part of the movement since the planning stages, through a cold winter and now into the warm-weather months.  “We’re still here,” Lynn said.  “We’d like to make it as long as we can.”

Lynn also said Occupy Delaware is more than just the encampment in downtown Wilmington and the occasional demonstration.  Group members helped plant a community garden and fed homeless people.  Some also plan to take part in the Occupy National Gatherine June 30th through July 4th at Independence Mall in Philadelphia.

“We’re always looking for new ways to reach out to the community, because that’s who needs us,” Lynn added. 

Occupy Delaware established itself at Wilmington’s Peter Spencer Plaza in early November, 2011.  The city wants them to leave, and a court case is coming up later this summer.

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