The Occupy Wall Street movement that worked its way to Cleveland and Canton is now coming to Kent.

A group of Kent State students and Kent residents met Wednesday at the Unitarian Universalist Church to discuss their views on Occupy Wall Street and plan a local demonstration next week.

“I’m very happy with the occupy movement,” said Sally Burnell, Kent resident and 1979 Kent State graduate. “I’ve been waiting for years for people to be angry enough to fight for economic justice.”

The occupy movement began with protests in New York City on Sept. 17 and has since evolved into a global voice.

According to a letter distributed by The Occupiers of Kent State Kent, “The Occupy Together movement is about evolving the process by which the people assert their control over democracy. We believe that the people directly own the prosperities of their community and the struggles it faces. We gather to directly channel the greatest asset of the human race, our only infinite resource, the ability to imagine alternatives and create solutions.”

Kent resident Jill Forsman said she thinks people were OK with how big businesses were running the economy, but now the middle class is not OK with it.

“It’s like they’re trying to make us fight against each other,” Forsman said. “We’re fighting over the crumbs that are left while they’re eating cake.”

Karch Marhofer, junior general studies major, is organizing the Kent movement.

Marhofer said while Kent is a place known for protests, he also thinks it’s a good place to show “what a community should look like.”

“If you guys are looking for answers, look at Kent,” Marhofer said. “We want to offer alternative solutions to the problem.”

The Occupiers of Kent State Kent is assembling Thursday at 7 p.m. in the basement of the Student Center.

For more information, Marhofer can be reached at [email protected].

Rachel Jones is a city reporter for the Daily Kent Stater.