KCTV 5Four arrested as Occupy Congress greets lawmakers

WASHINGTON (RNN) - Four people have been arrested in front of the nation's Capitol building, where Occupy protesters are rallying against lawmakers who are returning to Washington with their lowest approval ratings in three years.

According to Washington Post reporter Annie Gowen, one of those arrested jumped over a barricade in what Gowen called an effort "to provoke cops." Retired Philadelphia Police Capt. Ray Lewis was almost among those arrested, according to the event's Twitter feed.

By 11 a.m. ET, hundreds of people had already gathered in front of the Capitol, an hour before planned events were scheduled. The protesters planned to hold actions at the Longworth, Cannon and Rayburn buildings, with locations determined by the workplace of each occupier's congressional representative.

"People just keep pouring in," wrote J.A. Myerson, a reporter for Citizen Radio and supporter of the Occupy Wall Street movement, on Twitter.

Arrests are expected to be plentiful at the demonstration. Since Dec. 7, more than 100 people have been arrested at protests associated with the Occupy movement in Washington, according to OccupyArrests.com.

"We're putting a message out to our representatives that we are no longer going to stand idle and apathetic while our elected officials continue to have relationships with corporations to the detriment of working-class people," said John, a member of Occupy D.C. who did not give his last name. "We're asking Washingtonians to come be a part of this movement."

Occupy Wall Street, the movement that started four months ago to the day and spurred similar protests across the country, said it stands in solidarity with Occupy Congress protesters.

"In the face of this endemic corruption, the Occupy movement is about organizing locally to discuss and change these problems from the ground up," Occupy Wall Street wrote on its website Monday. "We came to show the one percent's Congress what democracy looks like."

The "Occupy Congress January 17th, 2012," Facebook page had more than 11,000 likes as the protest started, with Facebook members sharing links to livestream pages, critiquing the protesters and showing solidarity for the movement.

"All my support from Berlin," wrote Erna Pachulke.

"Go for it guys!" wrote Steven Rawlings, who lives in New York. "Wish I was there!"

A survey released Thursday by Rasmussen Reports found that favorability among congressional leaders Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, John Boehner and Mitch McConnell was unanimously low.

Pelosi, the current House minority leader, was the most well-known but least-liked of the four, with 66 percent having a "somewhat unfavorable opinion of her," and only 26 percent having a favorable view of her.

"I'm here today because we have a Congress that is refusing to make any effective decisions to better our economic environment," said Tom, a member of Occupy D.C.'s Arts and Creative Committee.

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