20 arrested at Occupy Atlanta protest

Police make an arrest after Occupy Atlanta protestors and an officer clashed as he was driving through the crowd on a motorcycle Saturday, Nov. 5, 2011 in Atlanta. / AP Photo/David Goldman

ATLANTA - Police arrested 20 people after an Occupy Atlanta protest rally in a city park spilled onto the streets and officers converged on them on motorcycles, on horseback and in riot gear.

A crowd of several hundred protesters had gathered at Woodruff Park, the scene of about 50 arrests of demonstrators last month, and set up tents. Organizers had said they planned to stay overnight despite warnings from the mayor and police that anyone there past the 11 p.m. EDT closing would be arrested.

But as 11 p.m. approached, protesters began decamping peacefully. Dozens of officers were on hand, herding protesters away from the park's entrances and installing barricades around it. A police helicopter flew overhead.

While most protesters left the park, a few people stayed behind. And as demonstrators poured onto Peachtree Street and downtown, a police officer on a motorcycle drove into the crowd, sparking a confrontation between officers and protesters that turned tense at times.

Police officers in riot gear and on horseback filled the street, warning protesters to stay on the sidewalk. The protesters shouted at the officers, chanting slogans such as, "Shame! Shame!" and "What about your pensions?" A small group yelled more insulting things like, "Put the pigs back in their sty, we the people occupy." Police made a number of arrests, mostly people who disobeyed orders to stay on the sidewalk.

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Police issued a statement early Sunday saying 19 people who either refused to leave the park after the 11 p.m. closing time or blocked nearby roads were arrested. The statement also said another person accused of assaulting a motorcycle officer on patrol was arrested and charged with aggravated assault and obstruction.

Protesters began camping out in Woodruff Park on Oct. 7. Mayor Kasim Reed initially issued an executive order allowing them to stay overnight, but later revoked it after he said there were increasing security concerns.

"Mayor Reed was clear earlier this week in his public statements that the City of Atlanta would arrested any persons who violated the law," Police Chief George Turner said. The statement added warnings were issued over a loudspeaker repeatedly in English and Spanish before the latest arrests.

Police on Oct. 26 arrested more than 50 people they say were violating a city ordinance by staying in the park after closing.

The protesters returned Saturday night. The crowd swelled during the brisk evening, as the Rev. Jesse Jackson paid an early-evening visit to show his support. He told those gathered that the movement was an extension of Martin Luther King Jr.'s Poor People's Campaign.

Hours later, though, Occupy Atlanta organizer Latron Price said he was disappointed that the situation grew confrontational.

"As responsible occupiers, we have to step up and try to display an example that the overall agenda is not about confrontation with police," he told the Associated Press. "We need to deal with the banks, we need to deal with home foreclosures, and we need to deal with wealth disparity."

Asked about the exchanges with police, the 37-year-old Atlanta man said, "That has me equally upset because we're losing what we came here to do, which is to protest peacefully."

He said protesters need to regroup and focus on a nonviolent message.

La'die Mansfield, 29, a spokeswoman for the Occupy Atlanta, said the police used "unnecessary force" and stressed that the group would continue to organize and to protest what they see as a system that promotes an unequal distribution of wealth.

"Today is a sad day for us. It's almost like we're seeing a little bit of what happened in Oakland here, not to the extent," she said. "Today was just a reminder of the system that we have, the corrupt system."

[mattrick78]

"TellitTrue: The answer, of course, is "Obama." 'nuff said."

I didn't vote for Obama either. Thanks for playing.

[magnumdr]

The Constitution of the USA might as well be thrown away because our own Government don't obey it any more and have construded the words to make them say what is convienent for them to mean. With this kind of actions by our elected people our Constitution has no meaning at all anymore!

[mattrick78]

"skyk1: Well why would you even CONSIDER voting for ANYONE in the Republiklan Party.."

Why would YOU think I would consider voting for a Republican. I have never voted for one and don't plan to. Nice try. Thanks for playing.

[zenia5]

I certainly defend our right as Americans to peaceful protest; HOWEVER, I do not defend doing this while breaking laws and ordinances of any city in the United States. If you or I tried to camp out in a city park past the posted closing time, we would be arrested. If you or I intentionally blocked all traffic in the middle of the street, we would be arrested. If you or I assaulted a police officer, we would be arrested. Why, then, are the protesters protesting about being arrested??????

[curse914]

It would be dependent on circumstance.

[zenia5]

There is no "circumstance" which warrants intentionally breaking the law and not expecting to be arrested.

[AndrewNutra]

I'll write more later. My girlfriend and I are going out. I'm hoping to occupy her when we get back.

[AndrewNutra]

OWS: playing their drums all day, hoping to bring peace on earth and have things so great we'll be whistling "Zip a de do dah" out of our @ssholes.

[OnTheCrown]

"I would do something but I was having too much fun occupying my corporate made bed, watching corporate made flatscreen, and playing with my corporate made iPad. Life is great!"

We might be working for the same company.

[AndrewNutra]

I also graduated with a liberal arts degree. Sure it was tough to get a job for awhile in this economy but I did OK. I persevered and worked hard. I did everything but sit around a NYC Park and play drums hoping things would change. This is a land of opportunity, not guarantees.

[AndrewNutra]

Skyk1, I would do something but I was having too much fun occupying my corporate made bed, watching corporate made flatscreen, and playing with my corporate made iPad. Life is great!

[mattrick78]

You are exactly right Andrew. The sooner we all stop making excuses for ourselves and others the better off we will all be.

[AndrewNutra]

If things are so bad out there why are there still millions of people all over the world paying thousands of dollars to risk their lives, leave their families and come here? Do they know something we don't? I see the OWS as kids who "borrowed $200K for college and someone owes me a job, and I ain't taking minimum wage either!"

[mattrick78]

Just ignore skyk1. He is a befuddled old Vietnam vet who took one too many whiffs of Agent Orange.

[AndrewNutra]

You hear about it every day. Mexicans being smuggled into the border. Chinese workers being smuggled in boats. They come here legally and illegally because they still believe in this country being the land of opportunity. It's still the best country on earth. They'll take the jobs that OWS whiners think they're too good for. This is the generation that won't work with their hands and won't take minimum wage no matter how tough the economy is.

[AndrewNutra]

+++
OWS: playing 60s radicals they saw on TV because the liberal arts degree they mastered in is not doing them any good in a down economy. Well guess what? Drumming and kicking out the homeless and ex-cons will not help you either. Maybe you shouldn't have borrowed $200K to master in Medieval Eastern Ugandan poetry.

[AndrewNutra]

skyk1, from what I can see in NYC, OWS is all talk no action. I'm sorry, they have acted, by playing drums, having their women raped and turning away the homeless from their gourmet food.