LAPD Uses a Lighter Touch While Evicting Occupiers
Hoping to avoid the kind of bad press that other city governments and police forces (ahem, Oakland) recently earned for their ham-fisted mistreatment of Occupy outposts, the Los Angeles Police Department took a slightly different tack early on Monday morning in its attempt to oust Occupy LA (more).
Hoping to avoid the kind of bad press that other city governments and police forces (ahem, Oakland) recently earned for their ham-fisted mistreatment of Occupy outposts, the Los Angeles Police Department took a slightly different tack early on Monday morning in its attempt to oust Occupy L.A. protesters from their City Hall encampment. That’s not to say that arrests weren’t made, but the LAPD was apparently holding back on out-and-out eviction tactics, and holding off on the pepper spray, even hours after the designated decampment time had passed. The Los Angeles Times followed the course of events throughout the wee hours that morning. –KA
WAIT, BEFORE YOU GO…Los Angeles Times:
When the LAPD announced that it wanted the campers out by midnight Sunday, officials hoped many protesters would leave voluntarily. Instead, the deadline prompted hundreds of people to converge on the area.
An estimated 1,000 protesters blocked streets around City Hall, creating a standoff with authorities.
Shortly after 5 a.m., police issued an order to disperse to demonstrators gathered at the intersection of 1st and Main streets. Most people complied, but a few refused to leave.
At one point, some protesters started throwing objects at police. Several people were then arrested; one person was carried away by officers.
Police said that there are still no plans to begin evicting people from the park around City Hall, which was officially closed at midnight. They said their main intention was to clear the streets for morning commuters.
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