Police clear largest US Wall Street demo sites
Source: Agencies |
December 1, 2011, Thursday
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MORE than 1,400 police officers, some in riot gear, cleared the Occupy Los Angeles camp yesterday, driving protesters from a park around City Hall and arresting more than 200 who defied orders to leave.
Similar raids in Philadelphia led to 50 arrests, but the scene in both cities was relatively peaceful.
Police in Los Angeles and Philadelphia moved in on Occupy Wall Street encampments in darkness in an effort to clear some of the longest-lasting protest sites since crackdowns ended similar occupations across the country.
The moves came after other cities - including New York where the anti-Wall Street movement was born - removed campers on grounds their tent cities were health hazards and disrupted local business.
Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck praised the officers and protesters for restraint and the peaceful way the eviction was carried out.
Officers flooded down the steps of City Hall just after midnight and started dismantling the two-month-old camp two days after a deadline passed for campers to leave the park. Officers in helmets with batons and rubber-bullet guns converged on the park from all directions with military precision and began making arrests after several orders were given to leave.
There were no injuries and no drugs or weapons were found during a search of the emptied camp, which was strewn with trash after the raid. City workers put up concrete barriers to isolate the park while it is being restored. By morning, the park was clear of protesters, said police officer Cleon Joseph.
The raid in Los Angeles came after demonstrators with the movement in Philadelphia marched through the streets following eviction from their site.
Police began pulling down tents early yesterday after giving demonstrators three warnings to leave, which nearly all the protesters heeded.
About 40 were arrested after refusing to clear a street several blocks northeast of City Hall, said Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey. Six others were arrested earlier after remaining on a street police were trying to clear.
Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter said: "The police officers involved in this operation were hand-picked for this assignment.
"They are highly trained and disciplined and showed a tremendous amount of restraint and professionalism in carrying out the operation."
Ramsey said he would have preferred to evict the protesters without making arrests, but some refused orders to clear the street and had to be taken into custody.
He said three officers had minor injuries. Protesters reported some injuries, but none appeared to be serious.
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa raised public safety and health concerns in announcing plans for the eviction last week, while Philadelphia officials said protesters must clear their site to make room for a US$50 million renovation project.
Similar raids in Philadelphia led to 50 arrests, but the scene in both cities was relatively peaceful.
Police in Los Angeles and Philadelphia moved in on Occupy Wall Street encampments in darkness in an effort to clear some of the longest-lasting protest sites since crackdowns ended similar occupations across the country.
The moves came after other cities - including New York where the anti-Wall Street movement was born - removed campers on grounds their tent cities were health hazards and disrupted local business.
Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck praised the officers and protesters for restraint and the peaceful way the eviction was carried out.
Officers flooded down the steps of City Hall just after midnight and started dismantling the two-month-old camp two days after a deadline passed for campers to leave the park. Officers in helmets with batons and rubber-bullet guns converged on the park from all directions with military precision and began making arrests after several orders were given to leave.
There were no injuries and no drugs or weapons were found during a search of the emptied camp, which was strewn with trash after the raid. City workers put up concrete barriers to isolate the park while it is being restored. By morning, the park was clear of protesters, said police officer Cleon Joseph.
The raid in Los Angeles came after demonstrators with the movement in Philadelphia marched through the streets following eviction from their site.
Police began pulling down tents early yesterday after giving demonstrators three warnings to leave, which nearly all the protesters heeded.
About 40 were arrested after refusing to clear a street several blocks northeast of City Hall, said Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey. Six others were arrested earlier after remaining on a street police were trying to clear.
Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter said: "The police officers involved in this operation were hand-picked for this assignment.
"They are highly trained and disciplined and showed a tremendous amount of restraint and professionalism in carrying out the operation."
Ramsey said he would have preferred to evict the protesters without making arrests, but some refused orders to clear the street and had to be taken into custody.
He said three officers had minor injuries. Protesters reported some injuries, but none appeared to be serious.
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa raised public safety and health concerns in announcing plans for the eviction last week, while Philadelphia officials said protesters must clear their site to make room for a US$50 million renovation project.
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