New York Judge issues order allowing Occupy Wall Street protesters to return to Zuccotti park
As Occupy Wall Street protests nationwide begin to swell in ranks, a New York Judge has blocked attempts by the city to evict Occupy Wall Street protesters just a short time following the eviction of the protesters and the tearing down of their tents.
Judge Lucy Billings ordered that they be admitted to the park, and for a short time after a cleanup early on Tuesday, as many as 50 Occupy Wall Street protesters were allowed back in. After learning about the legal situation, the protesters who were allowed back in were asked to leave. It may still be some time before New York Police and corporate owners at the scene allow the Occupy Wall Street protesters to return, and the court documents indicate that they will be allowed to bring their tents. City officials had planned to allow the protesters back into the park, but not allow them to set up their tents. Until the legal situation is sorted out, Mayor Michael Bloomberg has indicated that Zuccotti park will remain closed.
The mayor and city officials have indicated that their primary concern is one of safety and health in allowing the Occupy Wall Street Protesters to return.
November 17 Day Of Action
November 17 is planned as a citywide “Day of Action” for the Occupy Wall Street Protesters, in which is planned an attempt to forcibly shut down Wall Street by crowding the Subways and the street with as many protesters as possible.
Occupy Wall Street Protesters indicate on the Occupy Wall Street website that much of the information being dispersed through traditional media channels is being spun to put the best light on the city leaders at this time of upheval. One example given was that an American news agency interviewed with the New York Police Department, but no Occupy Wall Street Protesters. The BBC, on the other hand, had interviewed a number of protesters, but could not reach the NYPD for comment.
This November 17 Day of Action will no doubt be seen as a significant stumbling block for Corporate interests seeking to derail the protests through thinly veiled threats and police actions. Much of the furor that has surrounded the Occupy Wall Street Protests has centered on the fact that much of the “authoritarian” city government is backed by large corporate interests. Indeed, Zuccotti park, which is known to Occupy Wall Street Protesters by its former name, “Liberty Park,” was taken over by corporate interests, effectively making it a “private” public park.