Live Stream: http://www.ustream.tv/...
It's been an intense night. Our reporters were live on the ground when protesters shut down Times Square. It's the first time I know of that a protest has done so. Lots of information is flowing in at this hour.
Our reporters have moved to Washington Square Park where they are continuing to give us updates. No word on whether our live stream will be back up.
The NYPD has said the protesters have until 12PM to clear out. Posted rules have a 12PM curfew. The police have confirmed that they will be enforcing it.
We'll be here to bring you the news from New York City and around the world. Stay with us.
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8:36 PM PT: Less than 30 minutes remain until the curfew comes into effect. The crowd is growing nervous, and coming to the realization that they cannot stay in Washington Square Park.
8:37 PM PT: NYPD Buses are rolling into Washington Square. Police are ready to make mass arrests.
8:38 PM PT: New Video out of Berlin
8:44 PM PT: Our live feed is down because our reporters ran out of battery power covering the historic protest which shut down times square. Still hoping it can go back up. Will post if it does.
8:45 PM PT: 1000-1500 in Washington Square Park. Police with bullhorns: 'Wash Sq Park closes at midnight. Those who stay are subject to arrest..'
8:46 PM PT: We're able to upload some video. Buses at Washington Square Park. 15 minutes until arrests occur.
http://yfrog.com/...
8:47 PM PT: Our livestream is up!
http://www.ustream.tv/...
8:49 PM PT: 150 police marching to Washington Square Park.
8:50 PM PT: We have a report from NYT Columnist Charles Blow that the official live stream is down. We may be the only livestream going out right now.
Ten minutes left.
8:51 PM PT: A number of protesters are leaving, but many arent. It looks like a march is being organized.
8:53 PM PT: Citibank:
Citibank Public Affairs issued the following statement regarding today's incident: "A large amount of protesters entered our branch at 555 La Guardia Place around 2:00 PM today. They were very disruptive and refused to leave after being repeatedly asked, causing our staff to call 911. The Police asked the branch staff to close the branch until the protesters could be removed. Only one person asked to close an account and was accommodated."
To be clear: no one was arrested for closing an account; we didn't lock people in our branch - the police decided to close the branch; and we didn't ask for anyone to be arrested - that is a police decision."
Me: No one was arrested for closing their account, except for one woman who was trying to close her account, and was brutally arrested.
8:54 PM PT: Our reporters are staying near the park, but trying to get outside. They need to keep the live stream up. As far as we know, it's the only stream at Washington Square Park.
8:54 PM PT: Five minutes till midnight, when the police will close the park.
8:55 PM PT: A group of protesters are still occupying the park, more than a dozen are standing near the arch, including at least one Legal observer.
8:56 PM PT: With four minutes left, our team is heading to the exit. At least a dozen police in riot gear are in the park.
8:58 PM PT: There are 9 or 10 year old children in the park. The police have mounted police ready to go.
People are sitting down, and refusing to leave. Two minutes til midnight.
Huge presence outside of the park, both in terms of Occupiers and Police.
8:59 PM PT: 60 seconds to midnight, protesters remaining in the park refusing to leave, while protesters outside chant: "This is what democracy looks like!"
9:01 PM PT: Our people on the ground report sidewalks and streets around Washington Square Park are blocked. That's technically disorderly conduct.
We'll see if the police enforce those laws.
9:01 PM PT: Police loudspeaker demanding that protesters leave the park, as Occupiers chant "the people united will never be defeated."
9:02 PM PT: The park is now officially closed, while our reporters are on the scene on the south side of Washington Square Park.
9:04 PM PT: Huge columns of police near Washington Square Park: http://twitter.com/...
9:05 PM PT: Our man on the ground Henry James Ferry (HankNYNY) is live on the BBC right now. Why is foreign media paying so much more attention than our own news sources?
9:07 PM PT: Marchers are leaving Washington Square Park, drawing some of the police away.
9:07 PM PT: Still a huge crowd at Washington Square Park.
9:10 PM PT: Report from the north side: Occupiers chant "The Whole World is Watching" as riot police begin to sweep the square. I can hear it in our Live Feed's background. Henry James Ferry is live on the BBC.
9:14 PM PT: At least four mounted police at the south of Washington Square Park.
9:16 PM PT: The ampitheatre is empty, three or four officers are standing around it. Trying to verify what happened to those protesters now.
9:20 PM PT: A lot of disappointment in the fact that so many protesters left. Many people expressing disappointment in that fact.
We're seeing cuffed protesters being led into vehicles. Large police presence on the north side of the park.
9:22 PM PT: The park seems to have been emptied. Overwhelming police presence.
9:22 PM PT: We're thinking at least 10 arrested.
9:24 PM PT: The Empire State Building is lit up, visible over the arch on the north side of the park.
Large number of officers forcing occupiers out of the streets surrounding Washington Square Park.
9:25 PM PT: Officers on horseback part of force pushing protesters back.
9:28 PM PT: Commissioner Kelly reported to be at Washington Square Park. Not verified. Checking for other sources on that.
9:30 PM PT: Protesters chanting "We Are the 99 Percent."
Our reporters to Protesters: This is not Fascism. This is not a police state. Even with all of these arrests, some of them violent, this is not equivalent to the violence protests are being met with elsewhere.
We're arrested, while they are shot.
It's important to challenge that perspective. Protesters have re-organized into a march.
9:33 PM PT: Police are still pushing protesters away from Washington Square Park. Our reporters are moving in to see if they will leave peacefully, or if there will be conflicts. Protesters chanting, but they seem to be letting the police push them back. No scuffles that we can see. Not surprising, considering the overwhelming police presence.
9:35 PM PT: Several dozen protesters appear to be refusing to disperse. The police seem exhausted, but courteous.
9:36 PM PT: Police are using strobe lights to encourage the protesters to move back.
9:37 PM PT: Protesters singing "This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine."
9:39 PM PT: Police are slowly and patiently pushing the protesters back. They don't seem to have any desire to make arrests.
9:40 PM PT: Police are retreating, but leaving the mounted police behind. We doubt protesters will try to get around those intimidating horses.
9:41 PM PT: Police are moving to the south side. Police on loudspeaker "Get out of the street please."
Protesters "Whose street? Our street!"
9:42 PM PT: Image of the scene at Washington Square Park: http://yfrog.com/...
9:43 PM PT: Multiple cities are being warned by police to end their occupations.
9:44 PM PT: Confirmed reports of police brutality in Berlin. I cannot confirm the status of the Berlin occupation, but it doesn't sound hopeful.
9:46 PM PT: A few dozen Protesters are refusing to leave the sidewalks outside of Washington Square Park. http://yfrog.com/...
9:51 PM PT: Everything is barricaded at Washington Square Park. Multiple police still on scene, but everything seems to be under control.
9:54 PM PT: We've gotten reports that barricades at times square were rammed by police motorcycles. I cannot find video or pictures to confirm at this hour.
We have more than 71 arrests in total today. The protesters have been peaceful.
There has been a lot of pro-NYPD chanting today.
The fight for economic justice continues, but things seem to be dying down tonight. Still looking for reliable sources on the situation in Berlin, but everything I've found on social media is in German.
9:56 PM PT: Clytemnestra reports below that police are preparing to evict #OccupyChicago
http://www.justin.tv/...?
Live feed. Our live feed is preparing to shut down.
9:56 PM PT: Huffpo has a peice on occupy chicago: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/...
9:58 PM PT: American Flags fly over Chicago as protesters brace for a possible eviction.
9:59 PM PT: Protesters chanting "CPD is the 99%" at OccupyChicago:
http://twitpic.com/...
10:00 PM PT: Crowd at OccupyChicago singing the national anthem...
10:02 PM PT: Protesters chant "The Whole World is Watching" at Chicago PD.
10:03 PM PT: Chicago Ustream just went down. Here's the link in case it comes back up. That's worrying.
http://www.ustream.tv/...
10:06 PM PT: Both live streams from Chicago have gone down.
10:07 PM PT: Live stream is back up via a cellphone: http://www.justin.tv/...
That's the only line out as far as I know.
10:09 PM PT: Call the Mayor's office, and demand that Rahm Emmanuel allow the protesters to stay:
312.814.2121
10:11 PM PT: Occupy Chicago back up: http://www.ustream.tv/...
10:13 PM PT: CPD have warned protesters to leave twice. They aren't leaving. Police have the occupiers completely surrounded. About a thousand protesters in downtown Chicago.
10:15 PM PT: The American Flag still waves over the protesters in Chicago.
Protesters suggesting that they form a human chain at all entrances to the park. CPD is currently in Michigan avenue.
10:16 PM PT: Protesters forming human chain in Chicago.
10:16 PM PT: No reports on arrests yet.
10:17 PM PT: Protesters chant "Join Us" at livestream and CPD. If you're in Chicago, get down there.
"Save our teachers, save our cops, take our taxes from the top."
10:19 PM PT: "We are the 99 percent SO ARE YOU"
10:21 PM PT: Show me what Democracy Looks like: THIS IS WHAT DEMOCRACY LOOKS LIKE.
Over 1,000 protesters are chanting, and forming a cancan line at occupy chicago. Only three paddy wagons. Not enough vehicles to make mass arrests at this point.
Protesters are completely peaceful.
10:24 PM PT: Confirmed: mounted police at Occupy Chicago.
http://tjjourian.tumblr.com/...
10:36 PM PT: I'm having trouble keeping my eyes open at this point. It's 1:30 in the morning here, and I've been up since 6 AM.
Follow the action here:
http://twitter.com/...
http://www.ustream.tv/...
http://www.justin.tv/...
The police seem to be acting as crowd control. They have the power to move in, but don't seem interested.
Stand strong, Chicago. New York City and the World stands with you.
Protesters at Chicago are singing in the face of a terrifying police presence. We're watching as America bids goodbye to apathy.