This is breaking. I will try and put more info up shortly.
But right now there is a stand-off on Wall Street between the Occupiers backed by the Federal Park Police and the NYPD.
For a week Occupiers have camped out on the steps of Federal Hall, location of the authoring of the Bill of Rights, after NYPD prohibited them from sleeping on the streets adjacent to the Stock Exchange contrary to standing judicial rulings about sleeping as a means of protest.
The NYPD has shut down Wall Street and barricaded 25 Occupiers on the steps as the two police forces stand-off against one another over the right to peaceably assemble and exercise 1st amendment speech rights.
If this doesn't work try: http://www.ustream.tv/...
New Stream for latest: http://www.ustream.tv/...
NEW STREAMS FOR SATURDAY:
Pinkladies: http://www.ustream.tv/...
Rocky: http://www.ustream.tv/...
But quickly:
Two weeks ago Occupyers following a Federal Court's ruling began protesting by sleeping on the street.
NYPD tried to harass them with a few arrests but failed.
Then they tried having the sidewalks hosed down in the mornings. That didn't sway the Occupiers.
They had to allow the first amendment protected "sleepless" protest.
Then they changed tactic claiming that the first amendment could be restricted because it was a "security" area.
When the police began making arrests the Occupiers sought refuge on the steps of Federal Hall, the site of the first US Congress and the Bill of Rights.
The NYPD then began to barricade the protesters in after they were informed by the Federal Park Police that the freedom of speech and assembly would be honored on Federal property.
In spite of the barricade the protest began drawing large crowds of onlookers who engaged in discussions with the protesters who stood behind what they called the "Freedom Cage."
Protesters were not allowed to sleep and so they stayed awake each night this week as they occupied Federal Hall. These tactics still failed to budge the Occupation.
This afternoon a second barricade was erected while tourists and workers walked by causing congestion in front of the "cage." Police used that as an excuse to demand pedestrians "keep moving" and not stop and engage the protesters.
Then the NYPD got aggressive and when people didn't, because locked in a crowd, move fast enough - they made several forceful arrests.
Then at 5 pm the protesters were given a new set of rules just created by which they were told they needed to abide in order to remain. These rules included limiting the size of the signs the protesters held - which included a larger yellow banner with black letters spelling "Occupy Wall Street" that was raised each morning after the steps were power washed.
The NYPD threatened them with arrest but Federal Park Police informed them of the rights of the protesters to remain. Then the NYPD shut down Wall Street and cut-off hundreds of marchers and pedestrians from twenty-five protesters who stood their ground (the rules stating only 25 were allowed on the steps) at Federal Hall.
What you see right now is the stalemate that has followed. The streets were opened back up to pedestrian traffic about an hour ago. A massive entourage of NYPD officers including SWAT and Counterterrorism Unit members remains mobilized outside of the NY Stock Exchange which is adjacent to Federal Hall.
Some Video as it Unfolded: See Here