LF: ‘Occupy Wall St.’ To Resist Mayor’S Order To Vacate Park On Friday

Title: ‘Occupy Wall St.’ To Resist Mayor’S Order To Vacate Park On Friday
Source: RAWSTORY
URL Source: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/10/ ... rder-to-vacate-park-on-friday/
Published: Oct 13, 2011
Author: Stephen C. Webster
Post Date: 2011-10-13 15:54:18 by Brian S
Keywords: None
Views: 3632
Comments: 5

The protesters at “Occupy Wall Street” in New York’s Zuccotti Park have voted to resist an order by the mayor’s office requiring them to vacate the park on Friday for cleaning, setting the stage for a major confrontation with police.

Bloomberg went to the protest site, where several hundred people are camped out, to explain the move, which would be the first time the demonstrators are asked to leave, the mayor’s office said. Bloomberg claimed the owners of the plaza wanted to exercise their duty in cleaning it — and that this was their right, although protestors would be allowed back immediately.

But in a general assembly vote, protesters decided they would clean the park themselves, calling for supporters to donate “brooms, mops, squeegees, dust pans, garbage bags, power washers and any other cleaning supplies” to help their efforts.

“After General Assembly on Thursday, we’ll have a full-camp cleanup session. Sanitation can coordinate, and anyone who is available will help with the massive community effort!” organizers wrote. “Then, Friday morning, we’ll awake and position ourselves with our brooms and mops in a human chain around the park, linked at the arms. If NYPD attempts to enter, we’ll peacefully/non-violently stand our ground and those who are willing will get arrested.”

Virtually all the protesters’ prior confrontations with the New York Police Department have resulted in violence, with each incident seemingly widening their exposure in the national media: something likely on the activists’ minds during their vote to remain in the park.

In a letter to New York’s police commissioner, Brookfield Properties, which manages the park on behalf of the owner, said their policy dictates the park must be cleaned once every day, but it hasn’t been since Sept. 16 because protesters refuse to leave. They also warned of a possible unsafe condition if water seeps into the underground lighting system, insisting that regular maintenance must be carried out.

Protesters were given the rules of the park about two weeks ago, Brookfield said. Those rules also prohibit erecting structures and using tarps, both of which are frequent sights in Zuccotti Park today.

EMERGENCY CALL TO ACTION: Prevent the forcible closure of Occupy Wall Street!

Tell Bloomberg: Don't Foreclose the Occupation.
Join us at 6AM FRIDAY for non-violent eviction defense.

Please take a minute to read this, and please take action and spread the word far and wide.

Occupy Wall Street is gaining momentum, with occupation actions now happening in cities across the world.

But last night Mayor Bloomberg and the NYPD notified Occupy Wall Street participants about plans to “clean the park”—the site of the Wall Street protests—tomorrow starting at 7am. "Cleaning" was used as a pretext to shut down “Bloombergville” a few months back, and to shut down peaceful occupations elsewhere.

Bloomberg says that the park will be open for public usage following the cleaning, but with a notable caveat: Occupy Wall Street participants must follow the “rules”. These rules include, "no tarps or sleeping bags" and "no lying down."

So, seems likely that this is their attempt to shut down #OWS for good.

PLEASE TAKE ACTION:

1) Call 311 and tell Bloomberg to support our right to assemble and to not interfere with #OWS. If you are calling from outside NY use this number 212-NEW-YORK.

2) Come to #OWS on FRIDAY AT 6AM to defend the occupation from eviction.

Occupy Wall Street is committed to keeping the park clean and safe — we even have a Sanitation Working Group whose purpose this is. We are organizing major cleaning operations today and will do so regularly.

If Bloomberg truly cares about sanitation here he should support the installation of portopans and dumpsters. #OWS allies have been working to secure these things to support our efforts.

We know where the real dirt is: on Wall Street. Billionaire Bloomberg is beholden to bankers.

We won't allow Bloomberg and the NYPD to foreclose our occupation. This is an occupation, not a permitted picnic.

Maybe they should withdraw the police and let the NYC taxpayers takeout this trash.