State, Local Cops Plan For Occupy March

Local law enforcement officials say they are not too worried about a group of protesters marching north to join in an Occupy movement march on the White House, but they are keeping tabs on the march through social networks and blogs.

Earlier this morning, law enforcement officials from the Virginia State Police, the Fredericksburg City Police, the Stafford County Sheriff's Office, Prince William County Police, the University of Mary Washington Police and the Rappahannock Regional Jail met at the Fredericksburg City Police Headquarters to discuss the prospects of a local Occupy-style protest.

"There were more people in our meeting than are in our Occupy march," joked Natatia Bledsoe, public information officer for the Fredericksburg City Police Department.

Prince William County police's public information officer Jonathan Perok said that the county was aware of the march and will deal with it as need be when the marchers get to the area.

As of last night, the march consisted only of four protesters moving north from Richmond along Route 1. Their goal is to join with other Occupy protesters from up and down the East Coast in Washington D.C. for a Nov. 23 demonstration against Bush-era tax cuts which they say unfairly benefit the wealthy.

"It doesn't seem to be something that anybody needs to worry about because of the low numbers," said Bledsoe. "But we are monitoring it and are prepared to respond."

At the meeting, Bledsoe said the various departments discussed how to respond to any demonstration or rally should it become a disturbance. The agencies also set up plans to help each other in the event more manpower is needed.

Of concern for Fredericksburg residents near the University of Mary Washington is the fledgling Occupy Mary Washington movement which plans a series of demonstrations throughout the weekend as the college's Board of Visitors gather for a weekend-long retreat.

The students involved with the Occupy Mary Washington movement are demanding more student involvement in the administration of the university, according to documents posted to the Occupy Mary Washington blog.

The members of the Richmond to Washington march plan to arrive in Fredericksburg by Friday evening where they will stay overnight. They plan to march in solidarity with the Occupy Mary Washington protesters at some point. On Saturday, the marchers will hold a rally at 10 a.m. before heading north towards their next stop at Aquia Pines.