Occupy DC - US Park Police have reminded Occupy DC protesters of a no-camping ban in two locations in the nation's capital. A judge is expected to hear arguments on the ban Tuesday.

1. SEARCH LATEST NEWS
Occupy DC Home Privacy Archive
OCCUPY DC
POSTED BY EIZ ON THURSDAY, 19 JANUARY, 2012, 7:14 AM
GO
Occupy-DC.png
US Park Police have reminded Occupy DC protesters of a no-camping ban in two locations in the
nation's capital. A judge is expected to hear arguments on the ban Tuesday. By Eric Tucker,
Associated Press / January 31, 2012 A Occupy DC demonstrator ...
Share |
OCCUPY DC
POSTED BY EIZ ON THURSDAY, 19 JANUARY, 2012, 7:14 AM
US Park Police have reminded Occupy DC
protesters of a no-camping ban in two
locations in the nation's capital. A judge is
expected to hear arguments on the ban
Tuesday.
U.S. Park Police on Monday began quietly
e n f o r c i n g a n o-c a m p i n g r u l e a t t w o
Washington sites where Occupy
protesters have been demonstrating for
months. But despite heightened tensions,
there were no arrests reported by the
afternoon and no forced evictions.
Occupy Protests Protests and Demonstrations Cultural Institutions and Parks Parks and Historic
Sites Some Occupy protesters had been bracing for a possible confrontation since Friday, when
the National Park Service warned demonstrators that they must stop camping at the sites by noon
Monday. Those who defy the order or violently resist could face arrest.
The demonstrators, some with faces obscured by masks and bandannas, seemed prepared for
police to try to evict them. A large white sign visible Monday at one of the entrances to McPherson
Square, one of the two Occupy sites, read: "High Noon U.S.A. Park Police Showdown." Yet noon
came and went without any forced eviction, and Sgt. David Schlosser, a Park Police spokesman,
said officers were trying to take an "incremental and measured" approach by reminding
demonstrators of the deadline and urging them to respect the camping ban.
He said some of the few dozen remaining demonstrators had already followed the order, though
he did not know how many. He declined to discuss a timeline for eviction, though he said the
camping ban pertained not only to sleeping on the grounds but also to possessing bedding
materials such as blanket and pillows.
At nearby Freedom Plaza, many protesters had packed up their belongings and opened the flaps
of their tents in an effort to comply with the no camping rules.
Marja Hilfiker, 67, had her tent open and her belongings in a backpack. She said Freedom Plaza
occupants were "trying to cooperate and resist at the same time."
The mood was more spirited at McPherson Square, where demonstrators covered most of a