Occupy LA, Occupy Philly Defy Deadlines to Decamp
Occupy Philadelphia was supposed to evacuate its OnePercenterville by 5 PM EST Sunday. On the opposite coast, Occupy LA was supposed to tear down its camp Monday at 12 AM PST lest their tents turn into pumpkins, and their protest footwear turn into Nike child-labor shoes. But as we type this, both Occupies are still occupyin'.
In Philly, protesters spent the evening singing and not getting arrested by the few police who stood watch at Dilworth Plaza, the place where they've been camping. Several tents remain standing, and there are some piles of "dirty blankets" and trash to serve as landscaping. Sunday's deadline had been imposed by Mayor Michael Nutter on behalf of a construction project that's supposed to begin at Dilworth this week, so expect arrests shortly. The city has found a new protest site for Occupy, but with strings: i.e., prohibitions on nighttime camping, tents, and other defining characteristics of an Occupy protest.
In LA, only a few riot-gear cops showed up for the planned midnight evacuation at "Solidarity Park," and so far the night has been "celebratory" and Capsaicin-free. The Associated Press reports that Police Chief Charlie Beck promised "arrests would eventually be made if protesters did not comply"; given that some occupiers have already said they're not leaving voluntarily, once again: expect arrests shortly. At least 1,000 to 2,000 demonstrators showed up Sunday night/early this morning to occupy in full force, participate in a candlelight vigil, sing, "lift the vibration" via meditation, and do their human mic thing.
If you're in the mood for some early-morning computerlevision-watching, here's the livestream from Occupy Philly:
And here's the livestream for Occupy LA:
[Washington Post, Philadelphia Inquirer, Ustream, Image via AP]