PHOENIX (CBS5) -
Monday was day three of "Occupy Phoenix," and to say that people have been energetic and passionate about their message would be an understatement. We were hoping to define what exactly that message is.
Police tell us that today's protesters, for the most part, have been well behaved and there were no major incidents. That wasn't the case yesterday, according to one protester.
"I was arrested, they took me to jail, I spent the night in jail, got ready to go to court this morning, prosecutor declined to press charges, the judge dismissed the charges," said Michael Smith, a former Marine Corps sergeant.
Smith says he's out here to prove a point.
"Let's make our country what I fought for, what I took a bullet in the head for, what I would gladly die for, what I represent. I represent my country and I represent my state," adds Smith.
As clear as Smith was in his reasons for participating in Occupy Phoenix, we wanted to know what brought others here, and what they're passionate about. What point are they exactly trying to make?
"We've got many different points. But I think for our current position, it's just discussion," said one man. Economic justice, greed and corporate America, peace, justice and representing people who have been hurt financially were other reasons given by protesters for attending.
The one thing we learned is that there isn't one specific, defined reason for being here. But everyone we spoke with all said they wanted change.
The number of people participating in Occupy Phoenix have dwindled from a crowd of 1,000 Saturday to about 100 Sunday, with only 75 or so present on Monday at Cesar Chavez Plaza in downtown Phoenix.
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