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Weezer: Several hundred protesters took to downtown Burlington on Sunday to rail on everything from bank bailouts, fat severance packages for Vermont leaders, failing farms, the cost of education and the death penalty.

It was the second straight Sunday that Vermont organizers conducted a Burlington rally in support of the protesters occupying Wall Street in New York City. The Occupy Wall Street protest began Sept. 17 in New York City with people, charging that 99 percent of the country will not tolerate the greed and corruption by the remaining one percent.

The Burlington protests are expected to continue each Sunday for the foreseeable future, according to Jonathan Leavitt, one of the organizers.

A special protest also is planned Saturday afternoon in downtown Burlington.

The group also was encouraged to attend a talk Friday when University of Vermont graduate Jeff Ares, who works for a division of Goldman Sachs on Wall Street, returns to campus to speak about employment opportunities.

Matt Cropp of Burlington, one of the protest organizers, said it was important for people to attend and provide an alternative perspective.

Speakers from the UVM and Champlain College said there was strong support for the protest on the campus of their respective schools. The Vermont Workers Center said it also was working on getting people to canvass the area with messages.

The protesters met at Burlington City Hall Park about 12:30 p.m. complete with signs including “We are the 99 percent,” “Include Everyone in a Healthy Democracy” and “American Nurses Support Occupy Wall Street.”

About 15 minutes later a head count showed about 250 chanting protesters filing through a small ally and onto the Church Street Marketplace. They chants included, “Banks got bailed out, we got sold out;” “Occupy Wall Street, all day, all week;” “This is what democracy looks like;” and “What do you do when under attack? Stand up, fight back.”

A group of musicians led the march. Curious outdoor diners and shoppers looked on. Some clapped, some snapped pictures, while others seemed to keep strolling without stopping.

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