US

LA Mayor Orders Occupy Protesters Out by Monday

Mayor orders Occupy LA out

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa ordered Occupy LA out of its City Hall encampment, after having been supportive of the movement in the past. (AP File Photo)

The mayor of Los Angeles said the city’s Occupy movement must leave its encampment by Monday, days after protesters rejected an offer of indoor demonstration space.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa — who has been supportive of the Occupy Wall Street movement — lauded demonstrators for “awakening the country’s conscience,” but said that after 56 days, the encampments that flank the two grassy areas adjacent to City Hall must be removed by 12:01 a.m. Monday for public health and safety reasons.

At an afternoon news conference Friday with Police Chief Charlie Beck, Villaraigosa said the Occupy movement has “given voice to those who have not been heard” — but also trampled grass at City Hall that must be restored.

“The movement is at a crossroads,” the mayor said. “It is time for Occupy LA to move from holding a particular patch of park land to spreading the message of economic justice and signing more people up for the push to restore the balance to American society.”

The camp of about 485 tents was unsustainable because public health and safety could not be maintained, and the park had to be cleared, cleaned and restored for the public’s access, he said.

LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa Orders Occupy Protesters Out by Monday

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, left, and Police Chief Charlie Beck announced plans to close the City Hall park to Occupy protesters during a news conference Friday. (Image source: Los Angeles Times)

Occupy LA has not yet officially responded to the mayor’s order, though a day earlier had released a statement vowing to stay in the park, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Protester Opamago Casciani, 20, said he found the mayor’s priorities insulting, and intends to continue demonstrating through the deadline.

In response to the mayor’s comments, Casciani said “What I got from it is ‘I value grass more than the people.’”

Still, don’t expect a dramatic eviction: Beck said police won’t be hauling protesters away when the midnight deadline passes.

Instead, he said police will be patient with laggards working to leave at the time of the deadline – though the city’s law enforcement will no longer look the other way.

“After 56 days of not enforcing three city laws that prohibit the use of that park, the time is now,” said Beck.

Occupy LA released a list of demands for the city Thursday, among them for Los Angeles to divest all money from major banks, for “money to be removed from politics” and to rename the lawn surrounding City Hall “Solidarity Park.”

Occupy LA made headlines for rampant anti-Semitism and after a substitute teacher participating in the movement said “Zionist Jews” needed to be “run out of this country.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Comments (72)

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  • Baddoggy
    Posted on November 26, 2011 at 10:12am

    Heck I hope they refuse to go. I hope the police beat the crap out of them and Obama says something bad about the police. I hope the mindless idiots get tied so closely to the Dems that people start to wake up to what Progressivism has done to our Nation. Let the morons run free, cause trouble until the 2012 elections…I don’t want the awipes to go away! The longer they are there the stupider the Dems who support them look. Go morons go!!!

    Report Post » Baddoggy  
  • SpankDaMonkey
    Posted on November 26, 2011 at 10:10am

    .
    Awwwwww is your little sleep over almost over?…………

    Report Post » SpankDaMonkey  
  • garyM
    Posted on November 26, 2011 at 10:00am

    yea and come Monday they’ll say, you got until Friday! I guess the police are telling all their people who are speeding in their cars, you got until Monday to quit that!

    Report Post »  
  • AmazingGrace8
    Posted on November 26, 2011 at 9:49am

    Maybe Charles Manson could donate his digs he had before the killings…commune living at its best. Barf !

    Report Post »  
  • texasfarmer
    Posted on November 26, 2011 at 9:49am

    Oh please, please, please let us clean the mess you made.
    Spineless twits.

    Report Post » texasfarmer  
    • RIGHTHOOK
      Posted on November 26, 2011 at 10:30am

      Exactly……and millions of dollars of clean up across the USA for these “loser gatherings” that are an assembly of aimless morons. When my taxes increase I will attribute it to the cost of cleaning up the grime left in the wake of these parasites. Tear gas the lazy b**tards, powerwash the areas with Lysol and tell their moms to keep them locked in the basement from this point forward or mom gets cited.

      Report Post » RIGHTHOOK  
    • jujubeebee
      Posted on November 27, 2011 at 7:10am

      They should charge a toll or rent for the space. Country could use the money. How about a cleanup fee to the protesters?

      Report Post »  
  • MidWestMom
    Posted on November 26, 2011 at 9:45am

    I don’t feel one bit sorry for the cities that have these occupy camps. The city governments dug their own graves. From day one the groups should have been shut down if they were in violation of the laws. Much easier to deal with the first few than wait until they’ve grown into a mob. And the citizens should have demanded their elected officials enforce the laws. City hall needs to be reminded that the citizens voted them in and they can vote them out.

    Report Post »  
    • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
      Posted on November 26, 2011 at 9:50am

      Most likely the administration of Obama has decided the various #Occupy bands are reaching the end of their phase one usefulness and will be sacrificed; and for some in the most graphic and bloody ways that can be arranged. Somehow I do not expect this to end with a whimper. (I hope to be very wrong though and the OWS bands just go away).

      Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • MidWestMom
      Posted on November 26, 2011 at 9:56am

      @snow
      I hope they will go quietly but I don’t think they will

      Report Post »  
    • TheVoice1
      Posted on November 26, 2011 at 11:32am

      I think a violent confrontation is what they have been waiting for…. unfortunately

      Stand Strong America

      Report Post » TheVoice1  
    • jujubeebee
      Posted on November 27, 2011 at 7:11am

      We may need some stricter laws in some places.

      Report Post »  
  • In detroit
    Posted on November 26, 2011 at 9:29am

    Play times over back to real life now

    Report Post »  
    • wzanesdad
      Posted on November 26, 2011 at 1:15pm

      I think the only to end this is to cut off the head of the snake. The people that support this financially, like soros, jones, and lerner, are also the same people that have publicly said that the purpose of this movement is to bring down the united states, to end the constitution, and to rewrite the bill of rights. Is that not treason? They should be arrested, locked up, (with no bail) and put on trial. hat trial would expose the truth to all of america and the world. I understand we have really serious problems here. I agree that some bankers should be arrested as well. But to bring down an entire country, that has done enormous amounts of good for the whole world is just stupid.
      Equal justice, not social justice.

      Report Post » wzanesdad  
    • dogdr
      Posted on November 27, 2011 at 4:09pm

      I am tired of hearing about what OWS are and what they are trying to do from a bunch of people who only get their news here and on Fox.
      Both of which continually lie about the movement.
      I’ll start with an easy one for you wzanesdad. you said: “soros, jones, and lerner, are also the same people that have publicly said that the purpose of this movement is to bring down the united states, to end the constitution, and to rewrite the bill of rights. First show me ANY statement by any of those people saying what you claim they did. Next find some proof that any of those three, or any large group for that matter, is financing this movement. Since you can’t do that- because you are lying- try to find ANY credible source, leader or even participant who has said the point of OWS is to bring down the US, the Constitution and the bill of Rights. Maybe if you got out of your Fox news approved bunker and saw the real world and the real OWS movement you wouldn’t be so ignorant

      Report Post »  
  • biohazard23
    Posted on November 26, 2011 at 9:18am

    Yeah, good luck with that….. Those scabies-infested vermin won’t leave their free digs without a fight of some sort. At the very least, there’s going to be an awful lot of whining, sniveling, begging, pleading, and spitting when they‘re forced to go back to Mom’s basement or spare bedroom.

    And that’s just from Mom.

    Report Post » biohazard23  
    • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
      Posted on November 26, 2011 at 9:51am

      Look for the leftist media to make the most of “police brutality” and “suppressions of the OWS bands rights to expression..” across the board.

      Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • wzanesdad
      Posted on November 26, 2011 at 1:32pm

      They will do that, but, it seems that the vast majority of americans do not support this movement. I think we are approaching a point where people are saying, they son’t care what the media says, they don’t care about police brutality, and are thinking that we should bring this down no matter what the cost. We will deal with the repercussions later. I think the organizers of this have vastly overestimated what the American people are willing to tolerate.

      Report Post » wzanesdad  
  • RichNGadsden
    Posted on November 26, 2011 at 9:17am

    LOL, the moron in the video asking why the mayor is out to stop his 1st Amendment rights to free speech, is like Jerry Sandusky claiming that the police are stopping his 1st Amendment right to the free expression of his life style! The idiot can speak his mind any time and just about any where, but he should not be allowed to trespass and trash public property in a way that keeps the general public out. In essence the moron is trampling the rights of everybody else their free access to the area.

    Report Post » RichNGadsden  
  • Unix
    Posted on November 26, 2011 at 9:17am

    Economic justice? LOL, another Marxist term. No, sir, economic justice is when you get up off of your lazy bum and get an education/trade and put it to good use. Work hard and the reward will be a life of productivity and value. This is what is wrong with America today, some people want everything for free. Sorry pals, ain’t nothing in life for free, except the air you breathe.

    Maybe the OWS has awakened some people, but for me it has only proven that Marxism is on the rise in America, and it will be stamped out, snuffed out like a candle. Too much blood and treasure has been spent fighting this evil ideology, to have it overtake us now.

    Report Post » Unix  
  • Thevoice
    Posted on November 26, 2011 at 9:15am

    I think this quote just about raps up our society today..especially the youth .. It is as portrait of what happens when youth only have the sense of the mundane .In this Progressive communist built society .They will seek out what ever is out there for them to do .Off the top of drudge ..Bloomberg ….,” Macy’s Chief Executive Officer Terry Lundgren said yesterday of the crowd of 10,000 that waited at the chain’s flagship store in Manhattan. “It was almost a continuation of whatever social experience they were having hours before.” Clearly the message into next year from Conservatives to the youth today should be…. help take this country back and vote out the stifling effects of progressive communism in your life and again we will unshackle government from from subverting your great power of youth..

    Report Post » Thevoice  
    • Thevoice
      Posted on November 26, 2011 at 9:23am

      Then you get down to the real …helpless dregs..That in any society ..because of mental conditions ..Your never going to help ..They will just always be a burden..

      Report Post » Thevoice  
  • bdwatcher
    Posted on November 26, 2011 at 9:12am

    IMHO all across the US, this OWS will become more intense as all of us including the cities are tired of all these rediculously unintelligent persons being guided and manipulated. It is obvious to most of us. It just is a wonder why the educated (indoctrinated) can’t see the light. I fear nationwide turmoil giving the power to proclaim a national emergency and all the repurcussions. Obama already is twisting and is legislating by executive order as is all his czars. We live in perilous times. We need to get to the 2012 elections!

    Report Post » bdwatcher  
  • legendarytwo
    Posted on November 26, 2011 at 9:11am

    I love watching the pathetic liberal elite getting sick of their own kind in city after city.

    Report Post »  
  • KTsayz
    Posted on November 26, 2011 at 9:03am

    Do you think LA’s mayor would have responded as positively to a Tea Party occupation? Nah. But it would be fun to see the contrast.

    Report Post »  
    • SLEUTH
      Posted on November 26, 2011 at 9:09am

      TO LA MAYOR. you want ‘em? you got ‘em, no EAT ‘em

      Report Post » SLEUTH  
    • MetalPatriot
      Posted on November 26, 2011 at 9:32am

      This is the same mayor that cheated on his wife with a reporter. He’s been very open about being pro-Latino being one of his prime functions. He’s been to Venezuela to make friends with that dictator too. He got the vote because he’s Latino & they are the majority population here. I don’t hate Latinos for being Latino but I sure do hate people that have a racial agenda. He’s one of them.

      Hope his OWS young eat him alive. He’s all into this crap. Besides, downtown L.A. is a sewer with tons of homeless, all the freeways & building are covered in graffitti, pot “dispensaries” all around city hall. It IS a sewer and he’s the head RAT.

      Report Post » MetalPatriot  
  • mwhaley
    Posted on November 26, 2011 at 9:02am

    Two months of not enforcing the laws, and now you decide to do so? This would not have worked with my kids, not going to work with these adult children without a major fight. Should have done the right thing first. Either way you are going to deal with a fight.

    Report Post »  
  • HumbleCitizen
    Posted on November 26, 2011 at 9:01am

    Notice he mentioned they “ignored 3 LAWS”. If it had been the T-party do you think those laws would have been ignored? The cornerstone of our system was that all people are equal. “Selective enforcement” ….we’ll choose where, when and WHOM to enforce the laws (upon) make the laws unequal and unreliable. Is this really what we fought the British for? to go back to that system?

    Report Post » HumbleCitizen  
    • Look4DBigPicture
      Posted on November 26, 2011 at 10:35am

      We are not equal in the eyes of our corrupt government right now. With the Chicago thugs running the country, good hard-working people don’t stand a chance. I have to give Maxine Waters credit, because she often says what all the others are thinking. Why do they want the TEA Party to go to he**? Because the TEA Party gets in the way of their plans to transform our country into radical left-wing dominance. They don’t care about Americans … only their own power.

      Report Post »  
  • nobull14
    Posted on November 26, 2011 at 8:59am

    Don’t you think its about time?

    Report Post »  
  • Tea Party Animal
    Posted on November 26, 2011 at 8:53am

    Been peaceful SO FAR….get the tear gas ready mayor, because the OWS protesters are going to turn on YOU big-time when you try to clear them out….have fun! I’ve got the popcorn ready.

    Report Post » Tea Party Animal  
  • MMSands
    Posted on November 26, 2011 at 8:52am

    Aawwwwwwwwww. Gee whiz.

    Report Post » MMSands  
  • cloudsofwar
    Posted on November 26, 2011 at 8:52am

    the LA mayor should have to leave with them.they have giving a voice to the unheard? who, the commies? just a bunch of revolutionaries sent by Obama.

    Report Post »  
  • MEESHEL
    Posted on November 26, 2011 at 8:51am

    It’s about time

    Report Post »  
  • tobywil2
    Posted on November 26, 2011 at 8:49am

    The “Occupy Wall Street” type demonstrations against Capitalism should be held in the cemetery!

    In 1888, Capitalism contracted a fatal disease (Congress created the ICC, Interstate Commerce Commission). It remained on its death bed being slowly replaced with Cronyism until the mid-1930’s when it passed away without fanfare.

    The death of capitalism was never acknowledged and the Wannabe Tyrants continued to blame the corpse for their economic failures justifying their attack on individual freedom. Of course, Cronyism is simply a transition from Capitalism to Tyranny. Proof? Read the book “21st Century Common Sense”.
    The Cronyism Economic System defined: click on http://commonsense21c.com/CRONYISM.html

    Report Post » tobywil2  
  • On The Bayou
    Posted on November 26, 2011 at 8:45am

    Is OWS running out of gas.

    Report Post » On The Bayou  
  • NHwinter
    Posted on November 26, 2011 at 8:44am

    Maybe they could have some of these non-working occupiers to clean up their own mess. Why should the taxpayer pay? They obviously don’t have jobs. Wonder how long they would have let the Tea Party camp out? Politicians – Throw them ALL out! And while we are at it, throw ALL the occupiers and MSM out too.

    Report Post » NHwinter  
  • out of many one
    Posted on November 26, 2011 at 8:44am

    Illegal camping is not “speech”. It is breaking the law and should have been stopped when the first tent went up.

    Blocking public parks is also illegal. The public can no more have access to a park clogged with Obamaville tent cities than it could to a park with gates locked shut. Same result-people are locked out so crybaby protesters who have no clue can make a scene.
    It’s all theatrics planned and orchestrated by the Frances Fox-Pivens, William Ayers, SEIU , AFT and all the other rabble-rousers who see the naive useful idiots ready and willing to fall into line for them. It’s a Woodstock-Pajama Party-Love-in scene and they hold up the signs handed to them and think they are “making a difference”.

    Report Post » out of many one  
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