'Occupy D.C.' arrives in Freedom Plaza

A couple hundred protesters in Washington, D.C. affiliated with "Occupy D.C." and "Stop the Machine" converged at Freedom Plaza on Thursday to protest corporate money in politics and wars overseas. Although the two groups are separate movements, they share many of the same goals and grievances.

"We would like to see a clear separation between politics and corporations, spread the wealth, and end the war in the Middle East, investing the taxpayers money in the countries’ infrastructure, health care, education, etc and not use it to fuel violence in the world," the site OccupyDC.org stated.

The protesters marched from Freedom Plaza to the U.S. Treasury and the White House, according to the Washington Post. They then marched past the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where they unfurled a sign that said “Chamber of Corporate Horrors."

Later, they marched to the Newseum, where the third annual Washington Ideas Forum was being held. During the forum, Vice President Joe in Manhattan and other cities was similar to the tea party movement.

The "Occupy D.C." protesters have been camped out at McPherson Square since October 1.

The Office and Professional Employees International Union Local 2, which represents more than 5,000 workers in the areas around D.C., has endorsed the demonstration.

"The massive protests on Wall Street against the economic forces that are decimating the middle class and punishing working families have electrified Americans across the country who are saying: enough is enough!" the union said in a statement.

Watch video of "Occupy D.C.," courtesy of The Washington Times, below:

Watch video, courtesy of Al Jazeera English, below: