Occupy the Caucuses plans week of protests

DES MOINES, Iowa, Dec. 28 (UPI) -- A derivative of the Occupy Wall Street movement said it plans to protest in Iowa's capitol during the week leading up to the state's caucuses on Tuesday.

About 200 people in the Occupy the Caucuses movement met in East Des Moines Tuesday and divided into groups designated by the GOP candidates they want to "occupy" this week, ABC News reported Wednesday.

Protesters have said they also will camp outside President Obama's state campaign headquarters.

The demonstrators said they plan to raise issues, such as ending the war in Afghanistan, campaign finance reform, and higher costs for education and healthcare, at the candidates' headquarters.

David Goodner, an event organizer, said protesters will go to the candidate they have "the most beef with," adding that not just candidates' office would be targeted.

"It could be blockading the doors at Wells Fargo to try to shut down the largest mortgage lender in the country who has their headquarters in Des Moines, Iowa," Goodner said. "It's really up the people in this room to decide what form their protest will take, but those are … some of the tactics that are on the table."

Occupy the Caucuses also pledged to be non-violent and not disrupt the actual caucuses.

"We're not going to interfere or interrupt the caucuses because our targets are Wall Street, big corporations, and the politicians that carry the water for them --not everyday voters," Goodner said.