Occupy Philly protests at 30th St. Station

About 50 people gathered for a brief Occupy Philadelphia demonstration at 30th Street Station Friday evening that was followed by a guest appearance at a labor rally.

Shortly before 6 p.m., the movement's familiar call to attention - "mic check!" - was shouted inside the station as the participants congregated near the main train-schedule board.

For several minutes, they chanted that their "fight for fairness will never die" while a Amtrak police officer tried to figure out what was going on.

The only negative reaction they received came from a man standing in the taxi queue outside as the demonstrators left the station. "Take a bath," he yelled.

Train service was not disrupted and no one was arrested.

Most of the participants then marched to the nearby headquarters of AFSCME District Council 33 to attend a labor rally that was part of a coordinated national event led by the Rev. Al Sharpton on his live MSNBC talk show.

"Hello, occupiers!" was the friendly greeting from U.S. Rep. Bob Brady as he spoke to the crowd that included union members and Democratic Party activists.

Pete Matthews, president of District Council 33, praised Occupy Philadelphia for raising awareness on issues of economic inquality and injustice.

"We are the 99 percent. Everybody understands that," Matthews said.

"I thank God for the Occupy movement," said state Rep. Vanessa Lowery Brown (D., Phila.). While the protesters remain public and vocal, she said, they can "spark a fire, a light, in somebody walking by."