(Newswire.net — October 15, 2014) — Russell Brand led a march of nearly 200 Occupy Wall Street protesters to New York City’s financial district on Monday, calling for a revolution within the US. Conveniently, Revolution is the title of a Brand’s new book on social and economic inequality in the world.
The gathering began as part of a Brand’s promotional event, however, after a reading at Zuccotti Park, attendees marched to Wall Street.
As they arrived, Brand spoke about the need for a social and economic revolution, and pointed out that “the last time vast swathes of the country were taxed by elites, a revolution [was] sparked”.
“I think it’s inevitable,” Brand said. “When universal change is required, people will formulate and organize, and bring about that change. Now we are living under galling inequality, at the point of ecological crisis. People are misinformed, but the means for new communication are merging, and people are awakening.”
Brand said the Occupy Wall Street movement had an influence on his thinking, emphasizing that “revolution isn’t something that belongs to the past, but something that belongs to the future.”
“We are approaching a time where the police will return to serving the people that they took an oath to serve…instead of enforcing government authority,” he said when asked about the situation in places like Ferguson, Missouri.
“Revolution is change. I believe in change, personal change most of all. Know, too, that I have seen what fame and fortune have to offer and I know it’s not the answer. Of course, I have to change as an individual and part of that will be sharing wealth, though without systemic change, that will be a sweet, futile gesture.” Brandt then asked RT reporter Yaroshevsky if he was an “actual Russian,” and kissed him on the cheek, after he said he was, much to the amusement of the bystanders.
Other guest speakers talked about, police behavior in prisons, climate change and the conditions in which inmates find themselves and calling attendees to remain alert to “abuses by the authoritaritan state.”