Occupy SF protest camp at the Federal Reserve Bank, before police suppression
By: Staff report, SF Examiner — 10/06/11 8:17 AM
The protesters associated with “Occupy SF” had set up a minitent city in front of the Federal Reserve Bank at 101 Market St. They are occupying the area in solidarity with Occupy Wall Street as part of a movement to protest the disparity between the rich and poor.
But police forced the protesters to take down their camp Wednesday night, saying that while they have a right to demonstrate they cannot block sidewalks with items such as tents, crates and other objects.
At one point there were upwards of 70 cops waiting around the corner from the camp on Main Street.
There was one arrest. An assault on an officer, police spokesman Officer Albie Esparza said.
Some of the protesters were loudly debating whether they should take down the camp or stay and get arrested.
Supervisor John Avalos attempted to reason with police, saying that arrests would result in a larger contingent of campers later.
Around 12:30 p.m., police were clearing sidewalks. But protesters remained Thursday morning.
The growing group, which conducted a march Wednesday with hundreds clogging the sidewalks and streets of The City, has been making decisions by consensus. But they didn’t appear to find accord on what to do when the police warnings came.
“We agreed to take down the tents, but now I don’t know if the consensus is staying or going,” said Allie List, one of the organizers. “It seems that is no longer the consensus.”
The group began as a gathering of roughly 10 people camping outisde the Bank of America building on California Street on Sept. 17, the same day the flagship encampment was set up in Zuccotti Park, two blocks north of Wall Street in New York.
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