Occupy D.C. camp raided by police

[onehandle]

Dozens of U.S. Park Police descended on horseback and foot upon the Occupy D.C. camp in McPherson Square before dawn on Saturday to continue an enforcement of its no- camping rules launched earlier this week. At least three protestors who refused to leave the area around the statue of Maj. Gen. James B. McPherson were arrested.

U.S. Park Police Capt. Phil Beck told protesters they would be clearing the area around the historic statue, where protesters had erected a blue tarp dubbed the “Tent of Dreams,” and checking to see if there was unauthorized bedding in tents. Sections of the park also will be closed for “nuisance abatement,” a police spokesman said.

Under the rules, protesters are allowed to conduct a 24 -hour vigil in the federal park but not camp out overnight. Shortly before 6 a.m., a large contingent of mounted police and others with riot shields arrived at the camp, erecting barricades as protesters shouted “wake up” and chanted.

“We are not evicting people from the park,” Beck said. “We are asking folks to come into compliance.” After a lengthy negotiation, protesters agreed to remove the “Tent of Dreams” that they had draped on the statue of Maj. Gen. James B. McPherson on Monday. Protesters chanted “Solidarity forever” as the tarp came down and some suggested it be preserved in the Smithsonian as part of the history of the Occupy movement.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/occupy-dc-camp-raided-by-police/2012/02/04/gIQAwDoCpQ_story.html?hpid=z1

[xtraxritical]

1. What the ocuupiers should do

is rotate in shifts. They should break into three eight hour shifts so they could go somewhere else and get some sleep and then come back. Tents would be unnecessary and they would not be hassled by the cops. There is Hostleing International just a short walk from there. Also, McPherson
Park should consolidate with the Freedom Plaza occupiers. I was at Freedom Plaza the week of October 12 and it was a much larger gathering than McPherson Park. WHAT HAPPENED TO du's SPELL CHECKER?

[rsmith6621]

4. Ding Ding Ding

...Xtra gets it. I watch the eviction for two hours from my home near Seattle and was thinking why do they stand around the obvious and preach to themselves about the issues they want changed.... Why do groups of the Occupy DC group just stand around and in effect watch a funeral. They should be out in the streets marching in 8 hour shifts. The should be protesting in front of the banks, their elected officials offices, working out a deal with family's that are just waiting for the foreclosure notice to be served and lend their support and occupy their yards and when the day comes to evict them demand the bank show the mortgage that doesn't exists.

When the Cops show up it is over...move on to another parcel and regroup,reorganize and get loud.

Theses camps have turned into one huge comfort zone, I don't ever think OCCUPY was suppose to be comfortable...

[provis99]

2. unauthorized bedding? We live in a fascist society...

[lunatica]

3. Well shame on OWS for bringing attention to itself!!