This morning, thousands of people are gathering in Zuccotti Park in lower Manhattan to resist an attempt to clear out the main Occupy Wall Street encampment.
The AFL-CIO, Drinking Liberally, SEIU, CWA and the UAW are among the many groups who have sent members to the park in support of Occupy Wall Street. Roughly 2,000 people have pledged to attend the action defending the encampment on Facebook.
A group of attorneys from the National Lawyer's Guild is accusing Brookfield Properties, the private managers of the park, of first amendment violations. Fourteen members of the New York City council have called on Mayor Bloomberg not to clear the park. Congressman Jerrold Nadler, who represents the area, sent out a press release rebuking Mayor Bloomberg. Russell Simmons has offered to pay for any clean-up himself, in order to prevent a confrontation.
There also appears to be a police action taking place at Occupy Denver. The #OccupyDenver hashtag on Twitter is likely the best place to monitor events there.
This is an open thread for the unfolding events.
Update 6:23 AM: The Troubadour has three livestreams to choose from in the diaries. The New York Daily News is liveblogging from the park.
Update 6:32 AM: Reports from multiple news sources that New York City has postponed the cleaning / clearing of Zuccotti park. The protesters appear to have held the space!
Update 6:50 AM: Report from NBC New York:
The owners of Zuccotti Park told the mayor's office to postpone their scheduled cleanup of the area shortly before an anticipated show-down between police and hundreds of protesters determined to hold their ground.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg's office got word of the postponement last night.
"Our position has been consistent throughout: the City’s role is to protect public health and safety, to enforce the law, and guarantee the rights of all New Yorkers," Deputy Mayor Cas Holloway said in a statement. [...]
"Brookfield believes they can work out an arrangement with the protesters that will ensure the park remains clean, safe, available for public use and that the situation is respectful of residents and businesses downtown, and we will continue to monitor the situation,” Calloway's statement said.
Update 6:57 AM: Report from Denver:
The Colorado State Patrol and Denver Police began clearing the Occupy Denver tent camp just after 3 a.m. Friday morning.
Update 7:07 AM: Scene in in Zuccotti Park after the postponement was announced: