On Friday evening I found out that the city closest to me had picked up its own “Occupy” movement. It was taking place in Binghamton, New York, on the Pennsylvania border. Never being one to miss out on a good protest movement I decided to grab my camera on behalf of the Hot Air faithful and head on down to see what sort of progress they were making in overthrowing … errr… whatever it is that they plan on overthrowing. (At this point, I’m mostly hoping it’s not my SUV.)

The protest took up a space on the corner of one block which would not, under the most charitable of descriptions, taken up the square footage of a respectable Subway Sandwich shop. There were a number of tents (more on the apparently illegal status of those below) and a band, along with an ad hoc merchant shop selling… candles? I’m not exactly sure.

Here’s the brief video just to give you a taste of the scene. It’s short, and nobody actually wanted to talk on camera, but there is a rather nice looking dog toward the end of it.

I finally got to speak to one young man across the street from the protest who was holding a sign which read, “Fairness.”

I asked him what he was protesting and was informed that he “wasn’t actually protesting anything, but it’s just like Wall Street, you know?”

When I informed him that I didn’t get down to New York City that often, he explained that it was “like banks and bankers and a lot of people are making a lot of money, but lots of us don’t have jobs.”

Then he and another young woman in what appeared to be some sort of bed clothing asked me for cigarettes. (Yes.. yes… I know. I’m a terrible person. But I wanted the interview and I smoke. OK? Get over it.) The important point they both wanted to make was that each had heard that Larry the Cable Guy was going to show up this weekend to entertain and support the event. Surprisingly, a check of his web site indicated no such activity.

Is there a point to this? Yes. While the protest doesn’t amount to much in size, they are already dragging the local politicos into the mix and raising some controversy.

BINGHAMTON — The Occupy Binghamton protesters who have been set up in a mini tent city downtown for almost a week, do not need a permit to camp out on the property.

That’s the word from the office of Mayor Matthew T. Ryan.

“A permit is not necessary for the activities in which Occupy Binghamton is participating,” said Andrew Block, executive assistant to Ryan, on Thursday.

Others disagree.

While he supports the protesters, City Council President Charles Kramer, D-6th Ward, said procedures need to be followed, and that includes getting a permit.

“I’m deeply concerned,” Kramer said Thursday, the sixth day protesters camped out at Court and State streets on city-owned green space. “I don’t think it sets a good precedent.”

There are several laws apparently being broken here, but the city’s Democratic Mayor, Matt Ryan has visited the site “several times” and has instructed the police to not interfere. First, they have not applied for a permit for such a gathering. Second, even if they had a permit, local ordinances require them to have a $1M liability insurance policy for such a gathering as per city requirements. This has also not been provided. Finally, setting up “semi-permanent structures” on city property is also in violation of local ordinances according to one local official.

Thus far, the mayor of the city has determined that the activities of the protesters will not be curtailed on any of these grounds. He has only provided the following explanation to the local press:

Again, word from Ryan’s office is that the situation is under control and that city officials were keeping an eye on the property.

“Fire, police, public works, parks and the mayor’s office have visited the site multiple times, we have found no problems pertaining to safety or sanitation, and we will work to ensure that none arise,” Block said.

When queried, protesters said they were using bathrooms at businesses and residences. There are no portable toilets on the scene.

A call to the city’s fire marshal office wasn’t returned Thursday. Police administrators referred calls to Ryan’s office.

According to Block, other groups would also be allowed to camp out on city property “as long as they’re not creating issues pertaining to safety, sanitation or other aspects of code and quality of life.”

Apparently if the Mayor agrees with your political position, local laws don’t really matter. Let’s see how that works out next November.