The City of Oakland has given #OccupyOakland an ultimatum this evening:
Oakland city officials on Friday evening told hundreds of protesters camping outside City Hall in support of the Occupy Wall Street movement to "immediately" pack up their tents and prepare to vacate the area.
The city gave official notice to the protesters, stating that they do not have permission to camp overnight on the city plaza and that their near two-week encampment is breaking the law, said Karen Boyd, a city spokeswoman.
Yesterday, the City gave an official printed notice to Vacate, saying that the park had to be cleared by 10:00 PM, which is just a few minutes ago:
As a result of these serious conditions, the Administration has determined that facilitating this expression of speech is not longer viable, nor in the interest of public health and safety. Peaceful daytime assembly will continue to be allowed between 6:00 AM and 10L00 PM daily. No tents or overnight camping permitted.
There are at least a 100 tents at #OccupyOakland, and, I suspect, significantly more people than that. What will happen (or is happening) if the police move in is anyone's g uess.
Twitter reports from #OccupyOakland
occupyoakland Occupy Oakland
Text 'bayaction' to 41411 to join rapid response text loop for #OccupyOakland emergency defense! Oakland got an eviction notice 2day. Pls RT
19 minutes ago
occupyoakland Occupy Oakland
@Occupy_usa Oakland: No Police presence here, but many reasons to believe we will face an eviction tonight. check in: livestream.com/occupyoakland.…
1 hour ago
»
occupyoakland Occupy Oakland
Call Chief of Staff Sgt. Christopher Bolton Phone: (510) 238-3131Tell them to let us be. #OccupyOakland Mayors Office: : (510) 238-3141
2 hours ago
Another report:
As Oakland police prepare to evict hundreds of Occupy Oakland protesters from their encampment in front of City Hall, some officers and city leaders say Mayor Jean Quan should have done more to prevent what they fear could become a violent confrontation.
Some protesters have discussed physically resisting officers who try to evict them, according to people who attended a meeting of demonstrators on Thursday night.
“This has just gotten totally out of hand, in terms of safety and public health. I think it could have been prevented,” said council member Larry Reid. “If anyone gets injured in that park, and the city knows of the conditions that exist, then we can be held liable, and we can be sued." ...
According to police sources, most of the eviction scenarios call for a massive officer deployment with support from nearby law enforcement agencies.
Commanders said the plans are complicated by the presence of children, mentally ill homeless people, and other individuals who may not be interested in a confrontation with police.
“You’ve got a really hardcore anti-police, anarchist presence there,” said one police officer with knowledge of the plans.
Uh, does this sound totally and completely bizarre and Orwellian, or what?
Fri Oct 21, 2011 at 10:08 PM PT: Anyone with info as to what's happening right now at the park please post in the comments.
Fri Oct 21, 2011 at 10:13 PM PT: Livestream: Everything seems to be peaceful.
http://www.livestream.com/...
Fri Oct 21, 2011 at 10:19 PM PT: From the livestream chat:
jpmassar: What's happening with eviction?
oscargrant: As you can see, there is no eviction.
Fri Oct 21, 2011 at 10:21 PM PT: There is a big march scheduled for tomorrow at OccupyOakland at Noon.
Fri Oct 21, 2011 at 10:23 PM PT: Livestream:
jpmassar: Are there police anywhere in sight? On the perimeter?
oscargrant: As for actual cops, I saw a car drive past the plaza along 14th St but it's long gone now, as of 9 minutes ago.
Fri Oct 21, 2011 at 10:33 PM PT: Well, things still seem calm. Either Oakland and the police were bluffing or they're planning a move for later.
Fri Oct 21, 2011 at 10:39 PM PT: NPR Report:
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Hundreds of anti-Wall Street protesters are still camping at a plaza outside City Hall, despite a city order to leave the site by 10 p.m.
Earlier in the day, city spokeswoman Karen Boyd said that the city gave official notice that the Occupy Oakland protesters do not have permission to remain overnight and that their encampment is breaking the law.
Many protesters say they have no intentions of leaving even though the city announced Thursday that after nearly two weeks it can no longer uphold public health and safety at the site.
Boyd says she expects the protesters to comply and would not comment on what steps the city would take toward enforcing of the law.
There was no sign of police presence immediately after 10 p.m. Friday.
Fri Oct 21, 2011 at 10:40 PM PT: NPR Link
Fri Oct 21, 2011 at 10:42 PM PT: Just-published SF Chronicle article
Fri Oct 21, 2011 at 11:16 PM PT: Goodnight all.