Occupy Gainesville and Occupy UF are joining forces for six hours of protest today.
At 12:30 p.m. on the Plaza of the Americas, Occupy UF will hold a "student speak-out."
"It is a free-speech event," said Skye Schmelzer, 19, a psychology sophomore and organizer of Occupy UF. "It is a way for people to speak their mind, be heard, express their opinions, become more aware and hopefully become more active."
After one hour, Occupy Gainesville will join Occupy UF, and both groups will march to Bo Diddley Community Plaza, the site of the Gainesville occupation.
From 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., both organizations will protest on the corner of East University Avenue and Southeast First Street.
The demonstration schedule calls for students holding signs, chanting and joining in group discussions.
The discussions will touch on the Federal Reserve, the economy and police brutality, Schmelzer said.
During the weekly farmers market on the plaza at around 4:30 p.m., Occupy Gainesville will host a "people's mic speak-out."
She said the aim of the event is to get those attending the farmers market to get involved.
For the first time, Occupy UF will be officially attending the Occupy Gainesville general assembly meeting at 6:30 p.m.
"Gainesville has a large student population," Schmelzer said. "And we deserve to be represented here. Even if we reside here temporarily, we deserve to be represented."
The two groups will not be officially combining, but they are working together for some of the events of the day, she said.
