AFL-CIO Chief Trumka Calls Mass-Arrests at Occupy Wall Street: 'Tremendous Dishonor to America

Remember when the AFL-CIO pledged lawyers and other resources to the Occupy protesters? Well, with the mass-arrests sweeping the movement, the occupiers might soon look to collect on that promise. Fortunately for them, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka still seems to be on board, calling the arrests of Occupy Wall Street agitators a “tremendous dishonor to America.”

Trumka then called on elected officials to enable protesters to continue to exercise "their most American of rights."

Between Occupy Oakland riots on Wednesday and Occupy Atlanta clashes, more than 150 demonstrators  have been arrested thus far.

“The Occupy Wall Street movement has elevated the national conversation by shining overdue attention on the struggles of the 99% for whom the economy is broken,” Trumka said in a statement published on TRN. “When people can’t raise their voices around pervasive inequality, there is a fundamental problem with how we’re functioning as a nation.”

Encouraging officials to follow the lead of New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Trumka stated, “We urge all elected leaders across the country to enable peaceful protesters to continue to exercise their most American of rights."

"Peaceful" is the operative word, however, and Trumka failed to note that the "peaceful" protests are not the ones being disbanded.

(h/t: WZ)