Protesters Target Banks At Rally

Demonstrators lined a major thoroughfare in San Ramon today to protest against the country's large banks.

More than 50 people participated in the rally, which lasted from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m.

The demonstrators stood along Crow Canyon Road just east of Interstate 680. The rally organizers chose the shopping center here because it contains four major banks -- Bank of America, Chase Bank, Citibank and Wells Fargo.

A number of cars honked in support as protesters chanted and railed against what they called "corporate greed."

Some protesters carried signs demanding jobs and higher taxes on the rich, but the main focus was the country's large banks. Many demonstrators were wearing pig masks and carrying signs with anti-bank slogans.

"Our main message is the banks have totally messed up our economy," said Ellis Goldberg, president of the Tri Valley Democratic Club, one of the organizers of the protest. "We've been propping them up and they've been screwing us."

One of the early demonstrators was Irene Tosaky, a Pleasanton resident. She was participating because she believes large banks are charging too many fees and not keeping their investments in the community.

Tosaky noted she pulled her money out of Chase Bank more than a year ago and put it in a community bank. She also convinced two of her children to transfer their money from Bank of America to smaller banks.

She said she is heartened by the protest and the fact Bank of America recently dropped its plan to charge more fees.

"It is encouraging," she said.

Mary Schneider, another Pleasanton resident, brought her personal story to the rally. The retired teacher said she has been battling Chase Bank for more than two years to get a modification on her home loan.

She said she's constantly been asked to fill out extra paper work. At one point, she was denied the refinancing, so she started to withhold her mortgage payments, putting the money aside in a separate account.

Schneider said the modification has been approved now, but the new mortgage is still in bureaucratic limbo.

She urged other homeowners to adopt similiar tactics.

"It's difficult because it's frustrating and demoralizing," she said, "but we're playing with the big guys, so you need to muscle up your energy."

Helen Mumler, another Pleasanton resident, said her concerns are broader than just the banks.

She said the nation's campaign finance system needs to be overhauled before any significant changes will take place.

"Our political contribution system is a sieve," she said. "There are now a number of different ways politicans can be bought."

She favors limiting contributions to $250 per entity per candidate and abolishing what she called "back door" contributions such as free vacations given to elected leaders.

Mumler wasn't disappointed by the turnout of five dozen demonstrators.

"This is only the beginning. We're just scratching the surface of discontent across the country," she said.

The protesters Saturday were mostly people over the age of 40. Mumler said there are plenty of young people demonstrating, but most of them are in urban centers such as Oakland and New York City.