VIDEO: Occupy Somerville Group Rallies At Bank of America Branch

The Occupy movement came to Somerville Saturday morning: Residents, college students, union organizers and others gathered in Davis Square for a rally against , which has a branch in the neighborhood.

After the rally, the crowd, accompanied by a marching band, walked to the Highland Avenue branch of the bank, where about five people intended to close their accounts.

When they arrived, they discovered the bank had locked its doors and lowered the interior security grating. 

However, after a brief discussion with the branch manager, those in the group who wanted to close their Bank of America accounts were admitted and allowed to conduct the business without problems, according to Rand Wilson, an organizer of the rally who was among those who closed an account.

The bank remained open during the rally, though customers had to swipe their ATM cards to get into the branch.

The branch manager had no comments about the rally.

Occupy in Davis Square

Before marching to the bank, organizers of the Occupy Somerville movement spoke to the crowd in Statue Park, Davis Square's central meeting place.

"Bank of America is directly responsible for the financial crisis in America," said Matt McGlaughlin, a rally organizer who is also a leader of Save Our Somerville, a local organization that works to give voice to the disenfranchised.

McLaughlin equated Bank of America to a character named "Johnny Junkie," a known troublemaker who asks his friends for a ton of money, won't say why, claims he's good for it, then never pays the money back.

Somerville State Sen. Pat Jehlen attended the rally, though she did not close her Bank of America account, citing the difficulty in changing over direct deposit arrangements, among other things.

Jehlen said she supports the Occupy movement. "I think Occupy has given voice to what a lot of people are feeling … now even the president is talking about social justice."

"I don't know what form Occupy will take here [in Somerville,]" she said, adding, "being local is good."

Local issues 

The Occupy Somerville rally did have a decidedly local flavor. Wilson spoke about a proposed , now being drafted by the Board of Aldermen, intended to ensure Somerville residents get jobs at big development projects in the city, such as the one in . "We need to win that local hiring ordinance," he said. 

Speaking about a that may come to Somerville, Wilson said, "We need to stop Wal-Mart. Talk about corporate greed. That's not the kind of business we need in this community. Those aren't our values."

He also spoke against the proposed , saying, "It's a bad idea for education, it's a bad idea for those of you that have been working to improve Somerville education for decades. That's only going to undermine what we've been trying to do here."

Jeff Mansfield, associate pastor of the , a United Church of Christ congregation, was among those who closed an account at Bank of America. "[I'm] sick and tired of this bank thinking it can screw over the American people," he said.

Mansfield offered a prayer at the beginning of the rally. The Second Line Social Aid and Pleasure Society Brass Band provided the marching music.

Occupy Somerville is planning a "general assembly" event on Dec. 14 at 7 p.m. It will be held at Statue Park in Davis Square.