The collection of sleeping bags, camping stoves and Macbook Airs that makes up the Occupy Wall Street stronghold in Lower Manhattan is about to be broken up. Four weeks after the first protesters took up residence at Zuccotti Park, what looks like a final showdown with the city authorities is looming.
The owners of the park, Brookfield Properties, appear to have had enough of their uninvited guests and have ordered a cleanup to begin at 7am on Friday.
On Thursday, representatives of the company distributed leaflets in the park saying that, following the clear-up, protesters will not be allowed to keep sleeping bags, tents, and other camping gear in the park. Nor will they be allowed to lie down on the benches or the ground. In effect, the camp is finished.
Police have said all along that they would enforce the wishes of the park's owners – Zuccotti is a private space that is open to the public under the terms of an agreement with the city authorities.
Occupy Wall Street protesters called for supporters to gather at the park from 6am on Friday to defend it from what they said was an eviction attempt. Police say they will move in to enforce the clean-up from 7am. Some sort of confrontation appears inevitable.
OWS spokesman Tyler Combelic told the ThinkProgress website: "We have decided that at 7 o'clock tomorrow, we will not leave the park. We are not opposed to cleaning it ourselves."
On Wednesday, protesters began cleaning up the park themselves.
The New York Police Department told the Guardian that the park would be cleaned in thirds on Friday, in an operation that was expected to last 12 hours.
Brookfield, the owners, said in the statement distributed to the park's occupants: "Zuccotti Park is a privately-owned space that is designed and intended for use and enjoyment by the general public for passive recreation. For the safety and enjoyment of everyone, the following types of behaviour are prohibited in Zuccotti Park: Camping and/or the erection of tents or other structures; Lying down on the ground, or lying down on benches, sitting areas or walkways which unreasonably interferes with the use of benches, sitting areas or walkways by others. The placement of tarps or sleeping bags or other covering on the property."
Occupy Wall Street said the statement by the owners amounted to an "attempt to shut down #OWS for good".
OWS said in a statement on Wednesday: "Last night Mayor Bloomberg and the NYPD notified Occupy Wall Street participants about plans to 'clean the park' – the site of the Wall Street protests – tomorrow starting at 7am. 'Cleaning' was used as a pretext to shut down 'Bloombergville' a few months back, and to shut down peaceful occupations elsewhere.
"Bloomberg says that the park will be open for public usage following the cleaning, but with a notable caveat: Occupy Wall Street participants must follow the 'rules'. These rules include, 'no tarps or sleeping bags' and 'no lying down.'
"So, seems likely that this is their attempt to shut down #OWS for good."
Whatever happens, the protesters have made significant gains. They have forced the media to take notice of them, and they appear to have made inroads with public opinion.
A survey by Time magazine found that 54% of Americans have a favourable impression of the protests, with 23% reporting a negative impression. An NBC/Wall Street Journal survey, found 37% "tend to support" OWS, while 18% "tend to oppose" it. CBS News headlined a piece on its website: "Occupy Wall Street – more popular than you think".
Matt Wells @'The Guardian'
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