Politics & Government

Protesters Occupy Atherton

Citizens send message to Fortress Investment Group's Board of Directors.

Protesters picketed in Atherton Sunday afternoon, assembling in front of a home that belongs to the co-chairman of Fortress Investment Group’s board of Directors.  

At about 3 p.m. 25 people occupied the 200 block of Park Lane, according to Joe Wade, Atherton Police spokesperson.

“They were protesting the practice of recent home foreclosures that were related to the Fortress Investment Group,” Wade said, noting that the group was affiliated with the movement.

Wade said this is the third protest in town this year. 

“Everyone was protesting within accordance of the law,” he said.  “It was peaceful and without incident,” he added.

The protesters picketed for about an hour in front a home that is being built by Peter L, Briger Jr., who co-chairs of the board of directors of the asset management company's San Francisco branch.

"FIG owns 77 percent of Nationstar Mortgage, which has been purchasing distressed home mortgage debt and foreclosing on homeowners at an accelerating pace," said a member of the Occupy Bernal movement in San Francisco who declined to publicly identify themself.

"FIG has a long history of poor treatment of tenants and alleged violations of tenants rights laws at Park Merced and elsewhere," reads an advertisement for an upcoming protest on the group's website.  The group has organized more than a dozen protests against foreclosures in the past year.

Find out what's happening in Menlo Park-Athertonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

It has not been confirmed if the protesters in Atherton were affiliated with members of the Occupy Bernal movement.  However, protest organizers who usually plan events in San Francisco have begun to create events locally. 

The Occupy Bernal movement is expected to continue picketing against the Fortress Investment Group this week.  Organizers said they will be gathering in front of One Market Plaza in San Francisco on September 17.

Find out what's happening in Menlo Park-Athertonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.


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