It was 'Tea Party Time' in Poultry Park

GAINESVILLE - Gainesville staged its own version of the tax protest 'tea party' Wednesday at Poultry Park.
Tea party organizer Donald Jones with LibertyCalls expected at least two hundred people, but the gathering caused a near traffic jam downtown.

"This is word of mouth grass roots conservatism maybe like the nation has never seen it before," Jones said.

Just about everyone had a sign of some sort protesting taxes and the high cost of government that included Judy Sartain and her children.

Five year old Stephen Sartain held one up that read: "I am five years old and I owe Uncle Sam $43,400.

Jones said the Gainesville Tea Party was one of 180 Tea Parties held across the nation.

Some protesters even dressed up in colonial costume to recall the original Tea Party to in the late 1700's in Boston Harbor.

Patriots dressed as Native Americans protesting the British tea tax climbed aboard a merchant ship and tossed the tea overboard.
Jones said no one he knew of showed up with tea except one person who appeared with tea bags hanging from his ears.