Crime

Violence In Occupy‘s ’Romneyville‘ Accounts for Tuesday’s Only Arrest

Tuesday was opening day of the RNC (yes, we realize that the gavel dropped on Monday — but Tuesday was the real first day of the convention) and the only convention-related arrest that police are reporting, happened away from the convention center at the Occupy Wall Street camp known as “Romneyville.” This was also just the third arrest tied to the convention since Sunday.

Romneyville is the site of Tuesdays only arrest

Romneyville in the rain. (AP photo)

Tampa police report that a 24-year-old man was arrested and charged with aggravated battery after breaking the jaw of a 60-year-old man who also lives in the camp. The fight allegedly broke out when Dante Sea (the younger man) took a piece of cardboard belonging to Eddie Thomas (the 60-year-old) and the fight ensued, ending with Mr. Thomas’ jaw being broken by a punch from Sea. Police also discovered that Mr. Sea had an outstanding warrant for marijuana possession. He is currently housed in the county jail.

Romneyville is the site of Tuesdays only arrest

Dante Sea

The Tampa Bay Times filed this video report on the tent city:

“Romneyville” is not far from the convention, but it is not exactly within the sight line of the delegates or politicians. Tampa’s WFTS-TV reports that 300 people are calling the camp home during the GOP’s big event. They appear to be a combination of protesters (many from out of town) and local homeless people.

The makeshift village in a city park has a rotating schedule for security patrols, as well as meal times and clean-up teams that use buckets of bleach and water to maintain a modicum of cleanliness with their plates and utensils.

The tent city also has a bus for storing food (donations come from many local churches and farmers). The bus arrived in July and was sparked locals to protest with the city.

Since the City of Tampa controls what happens in space considered to be a city park, it can decide the fate of the bus. A hearing was scheduled for this month and no final decision has yet been rendered.

But while Mr. Sea was the only arrest on Tuesday, that doesn‘t mean unrest isn’t brewing. Earlier in the day, police in riot gear had to break up a confrontation between some of the protesters from Romneyville and members of the Westboro Baptist Church. The AP reports:

The anti-GOP protesters were marching from “Romneyville” toward the official protest zone created by the city when they clashed with members of the Westboro Baptist Church, which had been protesting homosexuality, Tampa police said. Church members also frequently picket funerals of military members.

After about 20 minutes, the half-dozen Westboro church members retreated from the protest area under police escort.

Tampa police said on its Twitter feed that officers separated the two groups for safety reasons. No one was arrested.

We’ll bring you arrest updates throughout the week.

Comments (71)

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  • Gonzo
    Posted on August 29, 2012 at 10:12am

    Sorry losers, but Romneyville would be a hellufalot nicer neighborhood than that.

    Report Post » Gonzo  
    • obamasacommie
      Posted on August 29, 2012 at 8:06pm

      Would you look at that, yet another young man who look like Obama’s son he never had. I am starting to wonder why it is all of these lookalikes are always getting into so much trouble. Lets see what is the overwhelming trait… anyway it’s probably just the racist police.

      Report Post » obamasacommie  
  • Lordcsmith
    Posted on August 29, 2012 at 10:07am

    Our founding fathers fought for a country where people could have life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Our Greatest Generation faced such horror that they wanted to make sure their kids never had to. The worst thing that happened was that they were both successful. Because these kids have never known Real racism, reference to skin color is now racism. Because they’ve never known Real sexism, asking them to be responsible with their parts is Sexism. Because they’ve never known Real poverty, asking them to develop a work ethic is against the poor. The truth is: Monarchies are destroyed by poverty and Republics are destroyed by luxury. History just keeps repeating itself.

    Report Post »  
    • JohnnyMidknight
      Posted on August 29, 2012 at 10:22am

      Your words are so true. Life is a balance of all things. Too much on one or another will lead to ruin. What is required of each individual is responsibility for ones own actions. However, many blind and protective parents are quick to say, “Not my child. They would never do that.”

      How many children are not learning discipline and respect of others. Taking ownership of ones choice and the outcomes there of (good or bad). Instead we blame the bank for the loan we did not read or sign. We blame the police officer for the ticket we got when we were speeding. We blame the government and society when we are unwilling to do the labor ourselves.

      Mind you, this is not everyone in America. However more and more are passing the buck. Heck even the President. We need leaders who stand strong and assume the responsibility and demand it from the people they govern. Or else Progressivism will win.

      Report Post » JohnnyMidknight  
  • Deibido
    Posted on August 29, 2012 at 10:07am

    Take a close look at the picture… just what exactly does he have to offer an employer?
    Skills: A Thug,
    Talents: A Thug,
    Appearance: A Thug,
    He would be unterly qualified to join the Union Ranks. SEIU looks like the perfect match! Hired!

    Report Post »  
    • Realman30
      Posted on August 29, 2012 at 10:18am

      Perhaps his leader, Hussein Obama, will give him a job.

      Report Post » Realman30  
    • BOstinks
      Posted on August 29, 2012 at 10:57am

      Look again – there is no one that looks like this punk any where near “THE ONE”. He just uses this type person, he doesn’t hire them.

      Report Post »  
    • The_Cabrito_Goat
      Posted on August 29, 2012 at 11:03am

      Cardboard is a rare commodity to have

      Report Post » The_Cabrito_Goat  
  • TRILO
    Posted on August 29, 2012 at 10:06am

    I thought there was supposed to be mass anarchy on the streets that required military tactics and advanced surveillance? Once again our government has overblown a situation to re-condition the sheeple. OMG the OWS and Westboro lunatics got into a confrontation and that qualifies as trouble brewing. Wow, if I lived in Tampa I would be shaking in my boots because of all the mayhem.

    The RNC has even employed the TSA for security screening. Anyone think that agency is going to be eliminated by the republicans?

    Anyway, who really cares that two OWS idiots get into an argument over a piece of cardboard. Sorry the 60 year old got his jaw broken but what do you expect when you camp out on the streets with thugs. Fights like this happen all over the world and this incident is supposed to be indicative of mass riots. Common sense and logic are dead in this country. Good thing the government is there to protect us.

    Welcome to the police states of America.

    Report Post » TRILO  
  • KickinBack
    Posted on August 29, 2012 at 10:06am

    Occupy Wall Street has officially become as relevant as Code Pink…A media cast-off sideshow…Congrats Occupy!

    Report Post » KickinBack  
  • science teacher
    Posted on August 29, 2012 at 10:02am

    The one and only thing I agree with the occupy people, get rid of the westboro baptist protestors.

    Report Post »  
    • hayesstephen
      Posted on August 29, 2012 at 11:01am

      Get rid of the West Borough people? After all these years people are still calling for the erasure of others who disagree with them. As long as they offer no violence they are more than welcomed to talk till dooms day. O.K. I’m all in favor of getting rid of you and all the people who agree with you. Why am I talking as thought I were speaking to a child? Guess,come on, think, really think.

      Report Post »  
  • Tri-ox
    Posted on August 29, 2012 at 10:00am

    “Romneyville”? Is this really the best that the ‘obama 2012’ campaign can come up with? The ‘obama 2012’ campaign suffers from a complete dearth of ideas – they got nothin’ – nothin’ at all.

    Report Post » Tri-ox  
    • JRook
      Posted on August 29, 2012 at 10:07am

      Perhaps but how‘s about cluing us in on what Romney has since he can’t give specifics even on his tax avoidance strategies and how he amassed $100 million in an IRA. Oh and while you at it, since the Ryan budget doesn’t balance til 2040, what exactly will the national debt be by then. Time to speak in specifics people, enough with your sound bite lies.

      Report Post »  
    • barber2
      Posted on August 29, 2012 at 10:37am

      JR: Blah..blah..blah. ….tax the evil rich….soak the evil capitalist… redistribute their stuff …evil old, white , conservative, pay as you go, Tea Party…. ( pppsst : hidden school records, anyone ? ) LOL

      Report Post »  
    • nonliberal
      Posted on August 29, 2012 at 4:39pm

      @Jrook, So I guess it would be a better idea to keep going 5 trillion in dept every 4 years from now until 2040? It’s called compromise and weaning the public off the government teat. It could be balanced much faster, but with 47% of the population on the take, it would be too drastic to fix all at once. They didn‘t make the mess overnight and it can’t be fixed overnight.

      Report Post »  
  • RaydocX
    Posted on August 29, 2012 at 9:59am

    i have good friends in Tampa and feel sorry they and their kiddos have to deal with this, but having been raised where the Westboro Bigots call home, and having watched for years as the MSM equated our city with their prejudice, i confess, my first thought reading this was that the police should step out of the way and let these OWS and WBC idiots take care of each other… less blight on American society for the rest of us to have to deal with.

    and while the park obviously can’t be used by any decent Tampa citizen, the protest mob will move on when the convention is over, and they can reclaim their city. shame it’s come to that, though.

    Report Post » RaydocX  
  • redriverattackdog
    Posted on August 29, 2012 at 9:59am

    Wouldn’t it be sad if the OWS crowd and the Westboro Losers (I am a Baptist, they are not Baptists) completely eliminated each other. The cops should have left them to their own devices. I would have hated to see a Tampa cop incur a cleaning bill for soiling their uniforms by separating this trash from one another.

    Report Post » redriverattackdog  
    • OhioRifleman
      Posted on August 29, 2012 at 10:11am

      Seeking to make a tear for the clowns…

      …Nope, I got nada. Anyone else having more luck?

      Report Post » OhioRifleman  
  • geo01
    Posted on August 29, 2012 at 9:54am

    .
    Everything the “Occupiers” have been doing is PRACTICE FOR NOVEMBER.
    .
    We as citizens who care about this country must steer clear of their “civil disobedience”.
    .
    They want us to be in the streets fighting them . . .
    .
    So far THEIR PLAN HAS FIZZLED. Let law enforcement (real law enforcement…not the Dept of Justice) do their jobs and OBAMA’s plan will fail.
    .
    Just like his Presidency.
    .

    Report Post » geo01  
  • 4xeverything
    Posted on August 29, 2012 at 9:53am

    So, I’m guessing here but do they call it “Romneyville” because this is what life will be like under Romney’s presidency? Funny how they have been purposefully living this way for the past year under Obama. No one watches or listens to them anymore yet, they continue to live like the homeless in tents and filth and completely out of the spotlight by choice. So OWS, how‘s it workin’ for ya? Do you really enjoy being scuzzy and nasty in order to not get any point across?

    Report Post » 4xeverything  
  • JAMACAMECRAZYMAN
    Posted on August 29, 2012 at 9:52am

    The next time I decide to break someone’s jaw I hope it is for something more significant than a piece of cardboard – complete losers……………………….

    Report Post »  
  • Detroit paperboy
    Posted on August 29, 2012 at 9:52am

    He looks like a fine young Democrat, I’m sure he will start a business and employ many many people, pay his taxes, and theirs and become a productive member of society………tsk tsk tsk……..nothin but a democrat FOODSTAMPER …….”.”.

    Report Post »  
    • Wango
      Posted on August 29, 2012 at 10:10am

      He’s a conservtive plaaaannnnnt. Her’s a plaaaannnnt. A plaaaannnnnt.

      Report Post » Wango  
    • Detroit paperboy
      Posted on August 29, 2012 at 10:47am

      No Wango, he’s just another democrat loser on foodstamps, that’s all……………

      Report Post »  
    • rangerp
      Posted on August 29, 2012 at 11:00am

      Wango

      actually you got confused. The Plaaaaaaaant part is wher you messed up. He was actually smoking some plant, just like you do.

      Report Post » rangerp  
  • Tigress1
    Posted on August 29, 2012 at 9:51am

    Does Westboro get along with ANYBODY?

    Report Post » Tigress1  
  • Eaglesnest
    Posted on August 29, 2012 at 9:46am

    Once again, the OWS crowd is not only geographically challenged, but politically as well. They set up a “Romneyville” camp and Romney is a private citizen who holds no power what so ever, influences no policies, and is only running for president. This crowd should set up camp near the whitehouse and congress and it should be entitled, “Obamaville”. And we are supposed to believe this group is not political?

    Report Post » Eaglesnest  
  • biohazard23
    Posted on August 29, 2012 at 9:43am

    Fighting over cardboard? Ha ha ha ha ha!!!!!!!!! Throw them some crayons, too, and watch them really go at it, bunch of whiny children…

    Report Post » biohazard23  
  • SMOOSE
    Posted on August 29, 2012 at 9:37am

    They’re clashing with the westboro ilk? Hell, cordon off the park and let ‘em fight to the end! Two problems, one solution.

    Report Post »  
    • 2Fedup
      Posted on August 29, 2012 at 9:47am

      Aw, i read the description n got excitd caus i thought somebody finally hit one of the westborough asses. I wanted to imagine how good it felt. Instead some lazy occuterd tried to steal and old homeless mans cardboard blanket. Ah those uneducated commies r a classy bunch.

      Report Post » 2Fedup  
  • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
    Posted on August 29, 2012 at 9:36am

    Clean the band of the protesters out once and for all; as for the bus, easy…

    Crane with wrecking ball.
    Elevate wrecking ball over bus.
    Release.
    Raise wrecking ball.
    Repeat until bus is flattened heap of metal.
    Sell bus as modern day part of artwork for millions
    Use funds to aid the wounded officers and families of the fallen.

    Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
  • Individualism
    Posted on August 29, 2012 at 9:33am

    maybe the Neo Cons should come by a thrown peanuts at him.

    Report Post » Individualism  
    • WindyDualism
      Posted on August 29, 2012 at 9:47am

      Actually, I had a boat load of dried and salted in the shell peanuts with a few 6′s of Fat Tire, then ziplocked the resulting turds, and fed-exed them on down. Satisfied? Are you a neo-Paul? An Uber-Johnson supporter? How does that work in Indyville?

      Report Post »  
    • Detroit paperboy
      Posted on August 29, 2012 at 9:48am

      He doesn’t need peanuts, I‘m sure he’s got foodstamps after visiting obamaville……

      Report Post »  
  • BryanB
    Posted on August 29, 2012 at 9:32am

    I have heard that Hillsborough County EMS, has been treating great many of the Protesters, for Heat related problems, because it’s just been so Hot down here in Florida……….

    Report Post » BryanB  
  • Apple Bite
    Posted on August 29, 2012 at 9:31am

    ..They‘re still Elizabeth Warren’s little children, after all.

    Report Post » Apple Bite  
  • Sentry353
    Posted on August 29, 2012 at 9:31am

    Obama thugs try to smear Romney by making a tent village and calling it Romneyville. Are they going to do the same next week in Charlotte and call it Obamaville?

    The thugs met overwhelming opposition in Tampa and couldn’t execute their plans of disruption and violence. Violence still breaks out in their camp because you can’t bottle up that much hate and not have it come out.

    Report Post » Sentry353  
    • RJJinGadsden
      Posted on August 29, 2012 at 9:42am

      I‘d say you’re right, and we can expect more violence. If do this amongst themselves over cardboard it will spill outward next.

      Report Post » RJJinGadsden  
  • EqualJustice
    Posted on August 29, 2012 at 9:28am

    Let me be the first.. “If Obama had a son…”

    Report Post » EqualJustice  
  • perry1980
    Posted on August 29, 2012 at 9:26am

    How about Occupy a Job insttead.

    Report Post »  
    • vox_populi
      Posted on August 29, 2012 at 9:34am

      No way, really? Wow, way to solve unemployment there, genius.

      Report Post » vox_populi  
    • The Jewish Avenger
      Posted on August 29, 2012 at 9:47am

      You’d be surprised how many people will sit and home and whine about their $25.00 union job they lost, collect a welfare check after their unemployment check dissolves and then tell their kids its someone elses fault that he cant find a job…. WHILE HE IS DOING that, his kids are pointing out that there are gas stations that are hiring. Yes, it’ll be two jobs at minimum wage to make almost 60% of what he is used to… but he will be working…. and with a strict budget, he’ll make it

      Nope… its BELOW him….especially a strict budget (sound familiar?).

      Yes, there is a cure, its just most of these libs have had it so cushiony, they can’t handle the thought of facing what the common man deals with….

      Report Post » The Jewish Avenger  
    • WindyDualism
      Posted on August 29, 2012 at 10:05am

      Pox
      Please chart out the OWS method. No power point needed. Just run through the basics of the evil corps (not corpse) doing bad juju to the really swell shovel ready OWS types. No re-distribution crap and mumbo malarkey. What is OWS going to do, to not get shot or arrested, and really help the job market? Look, Listen, Smell, and then tell us where outside of waste management they can work? How? Not every one can complete drug rehab, and then work in drug rehab-so don’t go there either. Perhaps all the owners of social diseases can work in social services? Too many. Why are they not on the WH lawn or on the border saying no mas, necisito trabajos aqui esse? Por que Pox.

      Report Post »  
  • givemeavent
    Posted on August 29, 2012 at 9:23am

    Correct me if I’m wrong but battery on the elderly is a felony is it not? Add marijuana to the charge and you can bet on prison time…that is unles Holder gets wind of it

    Report Post »  
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