Occupy protesters regroup in NYC

Updated at 3:43 p.m. ET

NEW YORK - Members of the Occupy Wall Street movement vowed to reoccupy its encampment in Zuccotti Park after New York police forcibly removed them in the pre-dawn darkness Tuesday before sanitation crews came into the park to clean it.

Tents, sleeping bags and equipment were carted away, and by 4:30 a.m., the park was empty. It wasn't clear what would happen next to the demonstration, though the new enforcement of rules banning tents, sleeping bags or tarps would effectively end an encampment that started in mid-September.

"At the end of the day, if this movement is only tied to Liberty Plaza, we are going to lose. We're going to lose," said Sandra Nurse, one of the organizers, referring to another name for the park. "Right now the most important thing is coming together as a body and just reaffirm why we're here in the first place."

Special Section: Occupy Wall Street Protests
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Mayor: Everyone's rights at stake in Zuccotti

Hundreds of police officers in riot gear raided the encampment, evicted hundreds of demonstrators and demolished the tent city that was the epicenter of a movement protesting what participants call corporate greed and economic inequality.

A state court judge held a hearing Tuesday afternoon on the legality of the eviction, following an emergency appeal by the National Lawyers Guild, a civil rights group.

Alan Levine, a lawyer for the demonstrators, said they had a free speech right to remain in the square. City lawyer Sheryl Neufeld said the demonstrators have a right to express themselves, but "it doesn't mean that they have a right to appropriate this private space for themselves."

"The protesters took over the park for their own use," she said.

There was no immediate ruling by the judge, Supreme Court Justice Michael Stallman, but he said he hoped to make a decision later in the afternoon.

Earlier in the day, another judge had issued a temporary restraining order that appeared to bar the city from preventing protesters from re-entering the park, but it was unilaterally ignored by the police and city officials.

Temporary restraining order (PDF)

The police action began around 1 a.m. and lasted several hours as officers with batons and plastic shields pushed the protesters from their base at Zuccotti Park. Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said about 200 people were arrested, including dozens who tried to resist the eviction by linking arms in a tight circle at the center of the park. A member of the City Council was among those arrested during the sweep.

It wasn't clear what would happen next to the demonstration. Hundreds of ousted protesters spent the day marching through Manhattan, chanting and looking for a new space to gather. There were skirmishes between protesters and police. Several journalists were arrested while trying to cover the marches.

By late afternoon, hundreds of demonstrators waited on the sidewalk just outside Zuccotti Park, waiting for the outcome of the court hearing to determine whether they would be allowed back in. At least two people were quickly arrested after hopping the barricades and rushing out into the square, but there was no mass movement to retake the plaza from the police.

That left demonstrators wondering what to do next. There was talk among some Tuesday of trying to occupy another park or plaza, and a small group of protesters rallied at a park on Canal Street, north of the financial district.

Occupy Wall Street protests march down Canal Street towards Duarte Square, Nov. 15, 2011.

/ CBS News/Alberto Moya

49 Photos

Occupy Zuccotti arrests

The surprise action came two days short of the two-month anniversary of the encampment. Mayor Michael Bloomberg said he ordered the sweep because health and safety conditions had become "intolerable" in the crowded plaza.

"From the beginning, I have said that the city has two principal goals: guaranteeing public health and safety, and guaranteeing the protesters' First Amendment rights," he said. "But when those two goals clash, the health and safety of the public and our first responders must be the priority."

He said that people would be allowed to return soon, but that the city would begin enforcing the rules set up by the park's private owners banning tents, sleeping bags, or even lying down on the property.

The eviction began in the dead of night, as police officers arrived by the hundreds and set up powerful klieg lights to illuminate the block. About 200 people were camped out in the park at the time.

Officers handed out notices from Brookfield Office Properties, the park's owner, and the city saying that the plaza had to be cleared because it had become unsanitary and hazardous. A commander announced over a bullhorn that everyone had to leave. Many did, carrying their belongings with them. Others tried to make a stand, even chaining themselves together with bicycle locks.

In contrast to the scene weeks ago in Oakland, where a similar eviction turned chaotic and violent, the police action was comparatively orderly. But it wasn't entirely bloodless.

"The cops hit my legs with a baton," said demonstrator Max Luisdaniel Santos, 31, an unemployed construction worker, pulling up his pants to show some swollen scars on his calf. "Then they shoved my face into the ground."

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[phiver1]

I feel the Occupy protesters across the country are battling in the wrong place..

Instead of making all this noise, which i feel is just to get recognized.. they should create a facebook page, taking their argument online.

Most important.. these 99% can be heard loudest on Election Day (aka: voting time).

[pilgrimsjog]

The Tyranny of the 99 Percent!

Looks like Obama's FleaBaggers and RingWormers are demanding money from the 1 percent to buy gasoline, they'll empty the wine bottles, so they can burn baby burn because the people support them. They are the 99 percent!!!!!!!
( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIQf3xMjUAA&t=53s )

Their FleaBagger leader promises to use force because the majority, the 99 percent, support the use of force ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFVR9Nv43J4&t=5m10s )

Until open warfare starts the only use of force will be forcing us to listen to their ranting because they are the tyranny of the 99 percent. Well, really the 1 percent ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIQf3xMjUAA&t=3m48s )

[noloyalisti]

What I think is great is that every time the Top 1% cracks down on the Movement it makes it larger.

Tomorrow a National Day of Actions with HUNDREDS of We Are the 99% events planned. Join one today. And don't forget to keep moving your money from the Bankster Houses to the credit unions.

[pilgrimsjog]

democrats raked in multi-million dollar paydays like, Jamie Gorelick, by using their clout with the DNC to help Freddie Mac and Fannie May cook their books so Barney Frank and his boyfriend could keep campaign contributions flowing the democrats in Congress to turn a blind eye. By the way, Jamie Gorelick is the one who established the "wall of separation" between the CIA and the FBI making the 9/11 terrorist attacks possible.

( http://bitsblog.florack.us/?p=11951 )

"Gorelick also served on the board of directors of Fannie Mae, and was part of the accounting cook booking scheme which has resulted in hundreds of billions of dollars in losses and is now owned by the taxpayer...Gorelick pocketed $75 million from her Fannie Mae affiliation."

Frank Raines, another democrat, raked in $100 million in pay by cooking the books for democrats and ACORN:
( http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/09/how_close_are_raines_and_obama.html )

"He (Frank Raines) was accused of manipulating earnings statements so he could be paid bonuses to which he was not entitled.

democrat fingerprints are on many weapons were crony capitalist partner with democrat politicians making both the corrupted business and corrupt democrat politicans rich from their control of the people's government, the people's news media, the people's educational systems, the people's public college system. democrat have corrupted all aspects of our lives to the point that FleaBaggers have been conditioned to hate Republicans and believe democrats who point to Republicans as the villain when it has always been democrats all the while. Talk about a good hustle, democrats have got one great hustle. But, many are not being hustled by democrats anymore! Only the FleaBaggers are still drinking the democrat kool-aid.

[noloyalisti]

"We'll occupy the streets, we'll occupy the courts, we'll occupy the offices of you. 'till you do the bidding of the many not the few."

From this awesome song that you should all send to the 99%.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/11/13/1036083/-AWESOME:-Artist-Performs-99-er-Song-in-Front-of-Obama-World-Leaders-at-APEC-Conf-(W-Video)?via=siderec

[noloyalisti]

People wonder why the 99% are willing to go out in the streets and sleep in the cold and rain and snow. I think it is because American had gotten to be a really bad place for many people.

Do these conservatives actually think everything is just fine here?

[TimeIsNowfor99]

Quick poll for the commentators out there.. Who thinks our politicans are on the take and that money is being illused to drive policy in our country? Simple yes or no would work here

[noloyalisti]

Yes, we must go after the criminal Top 1% who are bribing them.

[pilgrimsjog]

Obama's FleaBaggers want to bring a new day to America! Listen to one of their intelleectual leaders: ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFVR9Nv43J4&t=5m10s )

[TimeIsNowfor99]

I am for Occupy and not for Obama as he has been on the take. Do you think others in our governemnt are on the take also?

[pilgrimsjog]

The democrat party corrupted banking thru their regulation and intimidation of banking in order to systematically shake bankers down for campaign money. democrats have been the majority political party controlling congress for forty or fifty straight years. democrats have been in control legislation and congressional committees for decades. democrats have long established relationships with bankers, big oil, big pharma, big unions because democrats controlled the congressional committees that regulated these industries and organizations. democrats caused the financial crash because democrats wanted to control banking and bankers to shake them down causing bankers to make trillions of dollars of bad loans that democrats forced them to make. And, because democrats were the only power in government democrats created places old, corrupt democrats could retire and become richer thru their systematic corruption of all aspects of our industries that democrats in congress regulated thru their corruption of our government. Then, to watch the folly of FleaBaggers who see democrats as on their side when democrats are using them as foolish political pawns. ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcCs1yGO6aA )

[noloyalisti]

Occupy 99% craps bigger than all you people. In fact you ARE the 99% even if you are too stupid to realize it yet. We of the 99% are sick and tired of the graft and corruption, the dirty money and the rape and pillage by the rich.

You may be able to wake up and figure this out someday.

[noloyalisti]

Are you all of the 99% tired yet of Wall Street and the Banksters running everything? Are you all like the good Germans of Nazi Germany that were the loyal apologists for the fascists?