Ret. Police Captain Calls NYPD 'Corporate Thugs' [Video]

Over 30,000 people flooded the streets of New York City during Occupy Wall Street’s November 17th day of action. Over 100 were arrested for participating in the march and rally, but none have enjoyed as much media attention as Retired Police Captain Ray Lewis.

A veteran of the Philadelphia Police Department, Lewis was arrested in full uniform while carrying a sign that read “NYPD Don’t Be Wall Street Mercenaries.”

Lewis joined the demonstration to protest the way that NYPD and police departments around the country have treated Occupy Wall Street Protesters.

‘They complained about the park being dirty,’ he said.

‘Here they are worrying about dirty parks when people are starving to death, where people are freezing, where people are sleeping in subways and they’re concerned about a dirty park.

‘That’s obnoxious, it’s arrogant, it’s ignorant, it’s disgusting.’

During his arrest, Lewis claimed that it would not deter him from returning to the protest. An interesting statement considering Lewis hardly fits the “uneducated, unemployed, unwashed” label that so many have imposed on the OWS participants.

In a later interview with MSNBC’s Chris Hayes, Lewis accused his fellow law enforcement officers of carrying out the orders of the 1 percent. Watch the segment below for more:

Leaked Memo Reveals Wall Street Plot To Undermine OWS

Former U.S. Poet Laureate Robert Hass Beaten At Occupy Berkeley

Image via Captain Ray Lewis Facebook page.

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
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Kimberlee W.

9:15AM PST on Nov 30, 2011

A lot of people are asking what would happen if more cops joined the Occupy force?

Wonder what name the ex-militia corporation, Blackwater, is going by these days?

Wouldn't put it past the 1% to hire them too ~ ~

November 30
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Ulli W.

4:38PM PST on Nov 28, 2011

another source of insight, why the police applied such brutality as we saw in so many US-cities:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2011/nov/25/shocking-truth-about-crackdown-occupy

November 28
send a green star

KS G.

10:34PM PST on Nov 24, 2011

Thanks for the article.

November 24
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Mike and Janis B.

12:02PM PST on Nov 24, 2011

Wish we had someone like him in Toronto. The corporate media are decrying the condition in St James Park, they seem to forget that the muddy banks will regrow grass, that bulbs will return in the spring, it is disgusting the news reporting that has gone on. We admire the people who are trying to get filthy corporate interests out of government.

10:16AM PST on Nov 24, 2011

Toby S.

9:31AM PST on Nov 24, 2011

Thank you Captain Lewis, you are an asset to the US legal community. I hope many more join you in Occupy issues of corporate - police vs citizen - police protection.

Stephen P.

10:35AM PST on Nov 23, 2011

This is exactly what this movement needs more of. SOMEDAY...maybe these cops will figure out whose side they're on. One day some cop is going to go spray somebody and find out it's a relative or friend or neighbor. Then maybe they'll wake up and protect the people they're SWORN to protect. The public!

November 23
send a green star

Ernest R.

10:11AM PST on Nov 23, 2011

@C Jim B---Are you suggesting that police had orders to spray pepper spray from two feet away into the faces of people who were peacefully sitting down ?

Marti N.

9:34AM PST on Nov 23, 2011

Hope to see more police joining they are part of the 99% too.Glad to see more humanity from police not all are as abusive as we see on the news all to often

scarlett g.

8:43AM PST on Nov 23, 2011

PATTI T.

A BIT OF ADVICE....DON,T HOLD YOUR BREATH.....