About 1,000 demonstrators managed to shut down Citibank Monday.
Well, it was the main branch at Citicorp's 399 Park Ave. headquarters, and it was only for about 15 minutes, a Citibank spokesman said. But it gave the bank a jolt.
The protest was organized by the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, the community-investment activist group.
Citibank officials shut the doors when some of the throng that had marched to the headquarters about noon Monday started seeping into the office on the building's ground floor.
More than a dozen Acorn members eventually were escorted up to Citi's corporate offices. They demanded an audience with chairman John Reed but made do with George Seegers, a vice president, who signed a statement committing Citi to "enter into serious national negotiations with the goal of reaching a national housing and lending agreement."
The Citibank spokesman , noting that the bank has helped fund Acorn and has top grades for compliance with the Community Reinvestment act, said: "We find it hard to understand why they would targets us in particular."
Brian Maney, Acorn's research director, said Citicorp was picked because of its size and statue. What's more, he added:"They're in a position to do much, much more."
