Thursday, November 17, 2011
News UPDATE — Occupy Atlanta moves into Freedom Park
Posted by Gwynedd Stuart @gwynnstu on Thu, Nov 17, 2011 at 11:46 AM
- Gwynedd Stuart
- Morning one — Oct. 8 — at Occupy Atlanta's first encampment at Woodruff Park. The group was evicted on Oct. 25
At 2 a.m., over 30 people have entered Freedom Park, and erected tents and tarps. This is in addition to the ongoing occupation of Peachtree and Pine shelter, which is under threat of eviction, and the occupation of central avenues. You can evict a park, but you can't evict an idea. The occupation movement is here to stay.
UPDATE — Franzen told CL this morning that there was no police interference during last night's occupation on Freedom Park, but they're aware arrests are a possibility moving forward. "To my understanding," Franzen said, "[the police have] said they're going to enforce an 11 p.m. curfew, and are likely planning on moving in and making arrests if people don’t leave. We’ll see what happens. Today is about saying you can evict a park, but you cant evict an idea. This is a global movement. If the Occupy movements have to lily pad the city and play cat and mouse with the police, then that’s just how it is. We’re going to be all over the place. This is a movement that’s going to grow."
Today's agenda has already included a scripted "mic check" at the Wells Fargo in Atlantic Station (video here). At 2 p.m. they'll rally on the Courtland Street bridge to stand in solidarity with Occupy groups in other cities where bridges are being taken over by protestors. Then at 6 p.m., they'll head over to Midtown Place to stage demonstrations at both Home Depot and Verizon, two companies they say have been uncooperative with unions and have also cut jobs, rather than cut upper-level executive salaries.
Of the encampment in Freedom Park, APD spokesman Carlos Campos said: "We are aware of the tents in Freedom Park. City parks are closed from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. We stand ready to enforce all city ordinances, including park closing times."
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