NEW YORK, Feb 3 (Reuters) - Dozens of protesters interrupted a speech by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg on Tuesday, accusing him of ignoring the views of the poor as he tries to reverse the economic downturn.
Bloomberg was talking about his affordable housing plan at a conference of business people on the future of the city at a luxury hotel in midtown Manhattan, when dozens of people entered the ballroom shouting and waving flyers.
One of the flyers criticized Bloomberg for turning to big business for help in reversing the downturn.
'Instead of reaching out to the poor, the homeless and others that are most affected by the economic downturn, Mayor Bloomberg has invited the CEOs of major corporations to reverse the city's worsening economy -- some of the very people responsible for making the poor decisions that provoked this current economic crisis,' one flyer said.
'This is what democracy looks like,' the protesters shouted for several minutes until they were ushered away by security.
A police spokesman said eight of the protesters were arrested and charged with trespass and disorderly conduct. He said there were around 30 protesters in total.
Speaking at a later event, Bloomberg said interrupting a speech was not the best way to influence the debate.
'If you don't like wealthy people or successful profit-making businesses, you're not going to have a city,' he told reporters. 'We want to attract those people here. That's where we get the money to help those who are less fortunate.
'We are really all in this together,' he said.
With an economy that revolves around Wall Street, New York City faces massive budget cuts because tax revenues have tumbled as a result of the subprime mortgage crisis that wiped out profits for banks and plunged the country into recession.
Bloomberg, a billionaire who made his fortune on Wall Street, must close a $4 billion budget gap in the current election year. He said last week New Yorkers will have to cope with fewer services because 23,000 city workers will lose their jobs starting July 1 under his new budget plan.
(Reporting by Ellen Wulfhorst, Edith Honan and Claudia Parsons; Editing by Eric Beech) Keywords: FINANCIAL NEWYORK/PROTEST (claudia.parsons@reuters.com; +1 646 223 6282; Reuters Messaging: claudia.parsons.reuters.com@reuters.net) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2009. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.
Bloomberg was talking about his affordable housing plan at a conference of business people on the future of the city at a luxury hotel in midtown Manhattan, when dozens of people entered the ballroom shouting and waving flyers.
One of the flyers criticized Bloomberg for turning to big business for help in reversing the downturn.
'Instead of reaching out to the poor, the homeless and others that are most affected by the economic downturn, Mayor Bloomberg has invited the CEOs of major corporations to reverse the city's worsening economy -- some of the very people responsible for making the poor decisions that provoked this current economic crisis,' one flyer said.
'This is what democracy looks like,' the protesters shouted for several minutes until they were ushered away by security.
A police spokesman said eight of the protesters were arrested and charged with trespass and disorderly conduct. He said there were around 30 protesters in total.
Speaking at a later event, Bloomberg said interrupting a speech was not the best way to influence the debate.
'If you don't like wealthy people or successful profit-making businesses, you're not going to have a city,' he told reporters. 'We want to attract those people here. That's where we get the money to help those who are less fortunate.
'We are really all in this together,' he said.
With an economy that revolves around Wall Street, New York City faces massive budget cuts because tax revenues have tumbled as a result of the subprime mortgage crisis that wiped out profits for banks and plunged the country into recession.
Bloomberg, a billionaire who made his fortune on Wall Street, must close a $4 billion budget gap in the current election year. He said last week New Yorkers will have to cope with fewer services because 23,000 city workers will lose their jobs starting July 1 under his new budget plan.
(Reporting by Ellen Wulfhorst, Edith Honan and Claudia Parsons; Editing by Eric Beech) Keywords: FINANCIAL NEWYORK/PROTEST (claudia.parsons@reuters.com; +1 646 223 6282; Reuters Messaging: claudia.parsons.reuters.com@reuters.net) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2009. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.