Police arrest protesters as rally in park spills into street
Source: Agencies |
November 7, 2011, Monday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
US police arrested a number of Occupy Atlanta protesters after a rally in a city park spilled into the streets and officers converged on the area on motorcycles, on horseback and in riot gear.
A crowd of several hundred protesters had gathered on Saturday at Woodruff Park, the scene of about 50 arrests last month, and set up tents. Organizers had said they planned to stay overnight despite warnings from the mayor and police that anyone there past the 11pm closing would be arrested.
But as the deadline approached, protesters began decamping peacefully. Dozens of officers were on hand, herding protesters away from the park's entrances and installing barricades around it. A police helicopter flew overhead.
While most protesters left the park, a few stayed behind, and as demonstrators poured into Peachtree Street and downtown, a police officer on a motorcycle drove into the crowd, sparking a confrontation between officers and protesters.
Police officers in riot gear and on horseback filled the street, warning protesters to stay on the sidewalk. Many protesters shouted insults at the officers. Police made a number of arrests, mostly people who disobeyed orders to stay on the sidewalk. but officers at the scene declined to say how many and for what offenses.
Protesters began camping out in Woodruff Park a month ago. Mayor Kasim Reed initially issued an executive order allowing them to stay overnight, but later revoked it after saying there were increasing security concerns.
Police on October 26 arrested more than 50 people they said were violating a city ordinance by staying in the park after closing.
The protesters returned Saturday night. The crowd swelled during the brisk evening, as Reverend Jesse Jackson paid an early-evening visit to show his support. He told those gathered that the movement was an extension of Martin Luther King's Poor People's Campaign.
Occupy Atlanta organizer Latron Price said: "We are losing what we came here to do, which is to protest peacefully."
A crowd of several hundred protesters had gathered on Saturday at Woodruff Park, the scene of about 50 arrests last month, and set up tents. Organizers had said they planned to stay overnight despite warnings from the mayor and police that anyone there past the 11pm closing would be arrested.
But as the deadline approached, protesters began decamping peacefully. Dozens of officers were on hand, herding protesters away from the park's entrances and installing barricades around it. A police helicopter flew overhead.
While most protesters left the park, a few stayed behind, and as demonstrators poured into Peachtree Street and downtown, a police officer on a motorcycle drove into the crowd, sparking a confrontation between officers and protesters.
Police officers in riot gear and on horseback filled the street, warning protesters to stay on the sidewalk. Many protesters shouted insults at the officers. Police made a number of arrests, mostly people who disobeyed orders to stay on the sidewalk. but officers at the scene declined to say how many and for what offenses.
Protesters began camping out in Woodruff Park a month ago. Mayor Kasim Reed initially issued an executive order allowing them to stay overnight, but later revoked it after saying there were increasing security concerns.
Police on October 26 arrested more than 50 people they said were violating a city ordinance by staying in the park after closing.
The protesters returned Saturday night. The crowd swelled during the brisk evening, as Reverend Jesse Jackson paid an early-evening visit to show his support. He told those gathered that the movement was an extension of Martin Luther King's Poor People's Campaign.
Occupy Atlanta organizer Latron Price said: "We are losing what we came here to do, which is to protest peacefully."
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