Deadline passes for Occupy Philly, looms for LA

By msnbc.com wire reports

This story was upated at 7:28 p.m. ET

A deadline set by the city for Occupy Philadelphia to leave the plaza it has occupied for some two months came and went sans scuffles and arrests as police watched nearly 50 demonstrators lock arms and sit at the entrance of Dilworth Plaza.

The scene was far different from other, previous encampments in cities elsewhere where pepper spray, tear gas and police action resulted in the decampment of long-situated demonstrators, but Occupy Philadelphia has managed to avoid the mass arrests and conflict that has arisen at other sites nationwide.

Sunday night, there was hope that Philadelphia would continue to be largely violence-free.

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"Right now, we have a peaceful demonstration," said Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Joe Sullivan, nearly 45 minutes after the 5 p.m. deadline had come and passed.

Along the steps leading into Dilworth Plaza, nearly 50 people sat in lines, their arms linked, refusing to leave. A police presence was unchanged and no orders to leave had been issued.

"We can definitely claim a victory," said Mike Yaroschuk, who was in the process of dismantling his tent. "We've opened a lot of minds, hearts and eyes."

Yaroschuk said he was leaving the plaza not because of the city-issued deadline but because of a request by unions whose workers will be involved in the long-planned construction project there in the coming weeks. He said it made more sense to pick and choose when it comes to Occupy and its efforts to draw attention to the 99 percent.

"This place is not a key battle for me ... This is a marathon, not a sprint," he said.

Diane Ackerman, a member of the group's legal collective, said the movement itself will remain strong regardless of what happens. Occupy Philadelphia has been largely peaceful since it began. Despite a few dozen arrests, there have been no violent confrontations with police.

Philadelphia's eviction notice is unique in that protesters are being asked to move to make way for a construction project.

The movement has another deadline Sunday. Protesters in Occupy Los Angeles faced an eviction deadline of midnight Pacific.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said on Friday that the Occupy LA protesters would be given until 12:01 a.m. on Monday to dismantle their tents, pack up their belongings and clear out -- or face forcible removal.

The Los Angeles encampment is among the oldest and largest on the West Coast, aligned with a two-month-old national Occupy Wall Street movement protesting economic inequality, high unemployment and excesses of the U.S. financial system.

"We're assuming they're going to raid us Monday morning," said Tim Trepanier, 43, of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, volunteering at the Los Angeles camp's welcome tent.

Staking its place since October 1 on the grounds surrounding City Hall, the compound has grown to roughly 400 tents and 700 to 800 people, organizers and municipal officials said. At least a third are believed to be homeless people.

An activity sign posted at the entrance to the camp's media tent listed a final round of workshops on Saturday, with sessions titled: "Know your rights," "LAPD spying and surveillance" and "Nonviolent tactical training."

For Sunday, in large, red lettering, the sign read: "EVICTION CONCERT," above the words, "Party until the power gives out!"

Los Angeles has been relatively accommodating to its Occupy group compared to other major cities, with Villaraigosa at one point providing rain ponchos to campers during bad weather.

But after the collapse of negotiations aimed at persuading protesters to relocate, the mayor said it was time "to close the park and repair the grounds so that we can restore public access."

Villaraigosa has ordered police to enforce an eviction if necessary but said he hoped to avoid violence that has erupted in other cities when officers used night sticks and tear gas to drive protesters from camps or to keep them from returning.

Source: http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/11/27/9053619-deadlines-loom-for-occupy-philly-los-angeles

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