Cops to enforce no camping at Occupy D.C. sites

A passerby watches Occupy DC protesters hand a banner at the McPherson Square Occupy encampment in Washington on Jan. 30, 2012. / KAREN BLEIER/AFP/Getty Images

WASHINGTON - U.S. Park Police plan to begin enforcing a no-camping rule at two Washington sites where Occupy protesters have been demonstrating for months.

The National Park Service has warned the protesters at McPherson Square and at Freedom Plaza that those who violate the camping rule beginning Monday at noon will be subject to arrest. Protests began on October 1, 2011 at McPherson Square.

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Just on Sunday, U.S. Park Police said an officer used an electronic stun gun on an Occupy DC protester who was tearing down posters warning others about the ban on camping at McPherson Square.

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Sgt. David Schlosser, a park police spokesman, says the man ripped up the flier when he received it and then began tearing it off other tents. When police tried to arrest him, Schlosser said he was "aggressive and confrontational" and the stun gun was used. However, another Occupy DC participant told The Washington Post that the stun gun was unnecessary.

The man was ultimately charged with disorderly conduct.

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Protesters have said they intend to stay at the two sites and defend their encampments. They also have been livetweeting with the #defend99 and #J30 hashtags and posting livestream URLs to update the public on their situations.

"We give shelter and voice to those who have had none," Occupy DC said on their official website. "Attempted foreclosure upon our home will not solve homelessness or improve our health and safety. Nor will it quiet us."

The enforcement comes after a House oversight subcommittee hearing last week where Republican lawmakers questioned why the park service has allowed occupy protesters to camp for months on federal land. National Park Service Director Jonathan Jarvis said protesters have a right to be in the park and won't be evicted, but they will be encouraged to sleep elsewhere.

[FP1970]

Why don't they go occupy the embassies and consulates of the foreign nations that lobby relentlessly for open immigration so they can build a support base in America, e.g. Mexico, China, India, Pakistan? Do the occupiers understand that mass immigration, both legal and illegal is basically an assault on American workers in all job categories, be they blue collar, white collar or otherwise? Do they understand that Mexican consulates all over America do their best to help undermine American immigration law? Until the occupiers have something to say against the immigration attack on the American worker, they will get no respect from me.

[js2212]

ecoterror, your post about "Congress shall make no law..." shows only a rudimentary and superficial understanding of the constitution. Those rights have limitations. Any simpleton knows this.

Contact your physician immediately and please inform him to change your prescription - your meds aren't working.

[merlegrimes]

My dog has more class and less fleas than the fleabaggers.

[sirmarion-2009]

They are just supporting Pelosi,who is in their corner. Maybe she should have an office party and serve them cocoa. Along with Waters,Sheila jackson lee,Henry Waxman,Charlie Rangel,and the rest of the Democrats who think laws are not for them.

[realtimecoffee]

You lost the sane people at Storm Troopers ecoterror. For that go to Iran, Russia or N Korea.

[realtimecoffee]

CBS Top News:
Leopard euthanised, check
Mary Tyler Moore, check
Top Ten Rudest Cities, Check
OWS? nada.

Just the fact that I realised this was going on and had to search for it in the back pages here at CBS tells you this movement is over before it began. There's no groundswell, there not even any coverage. Check the local media message boards and you'll see there is no popular support, just diagust.

[realtimecoffee]

Well, they pretty much killed off the free exercise thereof eh?
Also peacefully assembly does not equal occupying by force. In any event it's become a non story and a non factor. Mostly is now just advanced panhandling.

[js2212]

vsmit, couldn't have said it any better myself.

The Democratic party has bred a class of citizen who feels that they are entitled to government handouts. This is a basic tenet of the Democrat - they feel that the government knows better than you how to spend your money. So they always support taxing upper tier income earners. They also know full well that the poor always outnumber the rich. They depend on the votes from the lower class to get them elected - essentially buying votes with entitlement programs, lax enforcement of immigration, and useless housing programs designed to prolong the housing crisis.

Put all the deadbeats back to work and they'll shut up.

[js2212]

So what? 70% of US taxes, based on 2010 data from the IRS, not from your outdated figures, were paid by the top 10% earners in the US. The top 25% paid 86%, you freeloading deadbeat. How much more do others need to pay for your way?

By the way, a 2% tax increase will do literally nothing other than fund your beloved entitlement programs. It will NOT solve the deficit. If you had any intelligence, you would know that. Stop gobbling up Liberal OWS propaganda and think for yourself.

[endurorob_5]

goptarded January 30, 2012 10:20 AM EST
The enforcement comes after a House oversight subcommittee hearing last week where Republican lawmakers questioned why the park service has allowed occupy protesters to camp for months on federal land. National Park Service Director Jonathan Jarvis said protesters have a right to be in the park
*****************************

This is just the beginning of the 'Groundswell'. The more the 'owned' politicians struggle against the people's movement, the stronger we will become.

POWER TO THE PEOPLE!!
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++In case you haven't noticed, you movement has become pretty lame. The only time you are in the news anymore is when you diplay violent or idiotic behavior.

[js2212]

****: Jarvis is not the Supreme Court and they have already carefully considered the issue of Time, Manner and Place of Public Assembly. The Occupy activity is fine if they want to make a point by temporarily hosting a sit-in. But once they fall astray of statutes like "No Camping" laws, they they are just breaking the law. If they want to do so and get arrested as a symbol of public disobedience, fine. But we are really tired of simpletons like you who cry "Civil Rights" when it is simply a case of criminal conduct.

This is not a Free Speech issue, since their message is not offensive, just misguided and uneducated.

I would also point out that Jarvis's issue is the Occupy movement is unprecedented and they are still trying to figure out how to deal with it. His comment in now way give any legitimacy to Occupy protests which break the law.