Barriers are up in the downtown Civic Center after San Diego Police Officers and San Diego County Sheriff's Deputies cleared out Occupy San Diego protesters in an overnight raid.
Around 2 a.m. Friday, law enforcement officers in riot gear arrived to clear out the people and the tents that have taken over this space for three weeks. Raw Video: Warning Graphic Language
When an officer using a bullhorn demanded the group disperse, protesters responded chanting "This is what democracy looks like."
It took several hours for the lines of officers and deputies to direct the protesters out of this downtown area.
Many of the people who watched the police action were screaming that the officers were part of the 99% and singing patriotic songs.
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They can arrest us. They can destroy our camps. They can shoot us in the head point blank with a 37mm gas gun. But we are not going away. Our society is broken and we will not stop until it is fixed.
10:43 AM PT: H/T to JustJennifer
Status update on Facebook
by Occupy San Diego:
There were several people beaten by the police today as well as over a dozen arrested at Occupy SD. Chief of Police Landsdowne was seen laughing and smirking behind a line of 300 cops with batons while occupiers were being beaten assaulted by the police on his direct order. Please call the Mayor and Chief of Police Landsdowne and tell them that infringing on people's freedom of speech and assembly by beating and assaulting peaceful protesters is inhumane. San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders: (619) 236-6330 and SDPD Chief William Lansdowne (619) 531-2777