Sunday, April 16, 2006 - Page updated at 12:00 AM
Angry Protesters Clog Seattle Streets Demanding Liberty

By Arthur Long
Viking Press Associates

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - Hundreds of irate libertarians and fiscal conservatives took to the streets Saturday demanding expanded financial freedoms and sensible tax reform.

Seattle Police put the number attending at 800, but event planners claimed 1,500 took part in the rally.

Event organizer Franklin Grimes explained the reasoning behind the weekend's march, "We learned that most of our activists who wished to attend actually had jobs during the week and wanted to work. Since we saw no reason to disrupt city commerce, we scheduled our march for Saturday."

Protesters snarled traffic and blocked 2nd Ave for much of the day as they marched to Seattle Center for a candlelight "vigil for opportunity" under the Space Needle.

"Our complex tax code is a roadblock to success for millions of hard working American families. In our free market capitalist system, fiscal freedom is personal freedom. It's time for a change, and we are here today to be heard" said protester Lindsey Nagel.

The throng of protesters echoed similar sentiments as they marched down 2 nd Ave carrying signs and chanting rhyming anti-government slogans. Although protesters occasionally clashed with police and broke windows of several state and local government agencies, only four arrests were made.

Local business owners seemed to be split on the protest. Many complained that the crowd drove away some weekend shoppers. Others welcomed the downtown traffic. "They seemed very angry, but they were great tippers," said local waiter Chuck Burns.

University of Washington economics professor Gerald Stone attended, but did not march in the rally. "I feel that so many of our nations problems today could be solved if these voices are heard today. Hopefully America is listening."

Grimes claimed to be proud of the day's turnout even though it was dwarfed by the 30,000 who turned out the previous week to protest U.S. immigration policy. "Children suffer and die when money is filtered through wasteful government agencies to solve social ills. Local communities can better open their hearts and their wallets when the corrupt government ends its tyranny, and stops bribing the masses," said Grimes as he promised to organize more protests across the country in the coming months.

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