Inspired by the anti-corporate Occupy Wall Street demonstrations in New York, several hundred protesters set up camp in front of Los Angeles City Hall this weekend, saying they are there to stay.
Saturday night's sleep-in followed a march and rally earlier in the day Saturday by a loosely organized group called Occupy Los Angeles.
Tents and blankets dotted the lawn in front of City Hall on Sunday, as people came and went from the encampment. Some stood on the sidewalk holding signs or, in the case of one protester, playing a bagpipe, while others sprawled on blankets in the shade, painted signs, or sat in a circle for impromptu strategy sessions. Occasional passing cars honked in support.
The movement generally takes issue with corporate influence on government. Many protesters carried signs with variations on the slogan "We are the 99%" -- everyone, that is, except the richest 1% of the population, who the demonstrators contend are the only beneficiaries of America's economic policies.
Most said they had heard about the Occupy Los Angeles protest via Twitter and Internet sites such as Tumblr and Reddit.
Blake Digangi, 20, a community college student from Menifee, said he heard about the Occupy Wall Street protests from friends in New York.
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