Russell Simmons Speaks To Occupy Boston Protesters
BOSTON (CBS/AP) — Tuesday, the Occupy Boston demonstrators got a boost from the arrival of media-mogul Russell Simmons, the godfather of hip-hop music. The multi-millionaire spoke of his distaste for corporate America, and his philanthropies. But he also told of his plans in Washington: to create a constitutional amendment, that would ban corporations from contributing money to federal election campaigns.
"We have to have legislation limiting how much corporations can contribute," says Simmons. He went on to say, "You folks are politically astute...and you are the beginning of an economic revolution."
Simmons arrived in Boston after police dismantled the birthplace of the Occupy movement in New York earlier Tuesday. Hundreds of police officers in riot gear raided the Occupy Wall Street encampment, evicting hundreds of demonstrators, arresting 200 and tearing down the tent city that was the epicenter of a movement protesting what participants call corporate greed and economic inequality.
WBZ-TV's Bill Shields reports
It may be going bad for Occupy Wall Street, after New York police removed them from their lower Manhattan park last night. But in Boston, the occupiers seem to have established a good relationship with the police, and Mayor Menino. "We get along well with the police," said Occupy Boston member David Lehnert, " and I think if they were going to remove us, they'd give us notice."
And for his part, Mayor Menino is on board. "We have no plans to remove them," he said, "and no, there is no deadline."
WBZ-TV's Bill Shields contributed to this report.
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