Faith groups lay on Thanksgiving feast for Occupy protesters

WASHINGTON: Protesters from Washington's two Occupy Wall Street offshoots flocked Wednesday to a historic church where Abraham Lincoln once prayed for a Thanksgiving buffet and some robust words of support.

The New York Avenue Presbyterian Church threw open its basement and laid out an afternoon spread of turkey, mashed potatoes, corn and pumpkin pie, plus kosher and vegan options, with enough on hand to feed 500.

Organizing the feast was Occupy Faith DC, an inter-faith coalition set up a month ago to give food, equipment and spiritual support to Occupy DC in McPherson Square and Occupy Washington DC in Freedom Plaza.

Thanksgiving, which falls on the last Thursday of every November, is a major family holiday in the United States, dating back to the 17th century when Pilgrim settlers feasted in gratitude for a good harvest.

In New York, Occupy Wall Street was to return Thursday to Zuccotti Park - from which it was forcibly evicted last week - for a Thanksgiving feast to which "all members of our global community" were invited. (AFP)