The Occupy Wall Street movement is starting to launch their American Spring campaign. Although violence has not been sanctioned, we see it erupting in Oakland and now Austin, TX.
The “camps” where arrests have been made is increasing on a daily basis including Charlotte:
On Monday, about 60 officers were observed working to remove tents from the old City Hall lawn while enforcing Charlotte’s new ordinance banning camping on city property. Seven people were arrested. Police estimated that day’s labor costs at $18,000.
The cost to Charlotte for their occupation is almost $450,000. They can be assured that this cost will rise as the president may support the occupation, he will not support them ruining his party at the Democrat convention.
David DeGerolamo
Police shut down Occupy Austin, make arrests
On Friday night, the Occupy Austin encampment transformed from a peaceful demonstration into a scene described as “violent” and “confrontational.” The movement’s members, who have called City Hall Plaza home for the past four months, were forced to evacuate their protest site due to a new city policy barring them from the plaza between the hours of 10 p.m and and 6 a.m.
The rules– which Occupiers said were delivered with too little warning– additionally prohibit them from sleeping, camping and storing sleeping equipment on plaza grounds. Dozens of Austin Police Department officers lined the plaza and prevented bystanders from encroaching on the mezzanine area. The heated confrontation ended in five arrests, said Deputy City Manager Michael McDonald.
“We may not necessarily be approaching Oakland, but we’ve had more violence tonight than we’ve ever seen here before,” said Occupy Austin protestor Kit O’Connell. “We never expected this from Austin.”
“Police were grabbing people, pushing people back and being extremely rough.”
At 9:45 p.m. Occupy Austin protestors were told about the new rules and asked to leave the encampment by 10:30 p.m. Those who failed to comply were arrested on criminal trespass charges, said APD Commander Steve Deaton. At 11:15 p.m., roughly 30-50 police officers formed a line on each side of City Hall Plaza, which remained intact even after the arrests.
After leaving the plaza and beginning a march near the I-35 frontage road, O’Connell said APD jumped out and attacked protestors with batons, held some to the ground and made targeted arrests. Occupiers were also threatened with pepper spray, although none was used.
