Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Wall Street protesters vow to resist eviction

Thursday 13 October 2011 19:00 EDT
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Protesters campaigning against corporate greed have vowed to resist moves to oust them today from a park in Manhattan where they have been camping for a month.

The Occupy Wall Street protesters have been told by Mike Bloomberg, the mayor of New York, that Zucotti Park will be "cleaned" at 7am today – midday in the UK – and that they will have to leave, taking all their camping equipment with them.

If successful it is likely to be a de facto eviction as once the cleaning is over they will be barred from returning with their sleeping bags or other overnight equipment. The loss of the park as a base is feared to cause the protest to end.

The Occupy Wall Street movement has attracted thousands of demonstrators to marches and protests in New York in recent weeks and it has spread to at least nine other US cities.

Demonstrators warned last night that they do not intend to simply give in to efforts to clear them from Zuccotti Park. In a statement they said: "We won't allow Bloomberg and the NYPD to foreclose our occupation. This is an occupation, not a permitted picnic."

The park is owned by Brookfield Properties, one of the biggest real-estate developers in North America, which has organised the cleaning session. The firm has said that "concerned citizens and office workers in the neighbourhood" have complained of: "Lewdness, groping, drinking and drug use... unsanitary conditions and... offensive odours."

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in