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Some Occupy Berkeley Campers Stay Despite Police Eviction Notice
After members of the "Occupy Berkeley" camp were served with a notice that police planned to evict people lodging at Civic Center Park after 10 p.m. Wednesday night, a group has remained in the area despite small bouts of police action this morning.
A group of about 20 people are at the park and outside of a nearby Berkeley police station at Center Street and Martin Luther King, Jr. Way, as of 3 a.m. this morning as seen in live stream footage from the area.
A Berkeley patrol car was idling across the street of the group of protesters as of 2:30 a.m.
Media reports indicate many of the campers voluntarily cleared tents by the 10 p.m. deadline, but protesters still at the scene early Thursday morning spoke about sporadic police raids at the park throughout the night.
An Occupy videographer known as OakFoSho who has been at the encampment throughout the night said police took down a handful of tents in three separate "hit-and-run" raids since 6 p.m.
Just after 2 a.m. one protester, who others called "Bo," exited the police station down the block from the park and said he had been cited for obstruction of justice and his camera was taken away as evidence.
He had suffered a chin injury after what two other protesters brought into the station for questioning with Bo said was a "hit in the face" by police, for which Bo said was treated at the station. Although after his release he accepted Occupy-based medical assistance where volunteers bandaged his chin outside the station.
The notice protesters were served, which is dated Dec. 20, 2011, says that Civic Center Park, where the camp has existed largely unchallenged for the past two months, is closed at 10 p.m. and that those persons in the park when it is closed will be subject to arrest.
"Starting December 21, 2011, anyone found camping in this park will be required to remove their tent and other property being used for lodging here," the notice reads.
Anyone who fails to remove his or her property used for lodging will also be subject to arrest, the notice reads.
