Protesters rally in support of firefighters, Occupymovement

http://www.pasadenasun.com/the626now/tn-626-1117-occupy-pasadena-firefighters,0,5431796.story

Pasadena protesters on Thursday showed support for firefighters and others they said were part of the 99% November 17, 2011 | 7:52 p.m.Disgruntled residents and community activists blamed the richest 1% of the population for stifling renovations to localfire stations and hurting unions during a protest Thursday evening at Pasadena Fire Station 33.Around 60 people, most of them hailing from Pasadena, stood on the lawn outside the station on North Lake Avenuewith signs reading “The 99% supports firefighters.”The protest was not part of Occupy Wall Street, but Patrick Briggs, who organized the event with his wife, Maddie,said they stand in solidarity with the growing movement.“It’s primarily a civic engagement group,” he said. “It’s about getting people to show up for something important thathas a message.”The couple organized protests in front of Bank of Americaand Chase last month and have hosted similar events over the past eight years, but the focus on Thursday was infrastructure, said Briggs.“Seven out of eight [Pasadena fire stations] need retrofitting and that takes tax dollars,” he said. “We need to make surethat the wealthy pay their fair share of their tax dollars. We’re not able to retrofit because of that.”As the sun set, protesters waved signs to passing cars and received several honks of approval.