Judge Denies Permit to Occupy Protesters

Occupy Wall Street's plan to occupy the courts on Friday hit a snag after a federal judge denied the protesters a permit to rally outside the federal courthouse at 500 Pearl Street in Manhattan.

The protest is a part of a host of rallies nationwide, called for by MoveToAmend, to call for the reversal of the 2010 Citizens United decision by the Supreme Court, which removed donation limits for corporations to candidates.

The General Services Administration denied the permit on Jan. 13, saying the protest would interfere with events inside the courthouse. On Wednesday, protesters filed a lawsuit with federal officials to force the agency to give them a permit, saying that it violated their First Amendment right to assemble.

Protesters, instead, now plan to march from Liberty Square to Foley Square where the rally will host speakers that include Russell Simmons, Virginia Rasmussen, Chris Hedges, among others.