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It took just 72 hours for the National Park Service and their Director, Jonathan Jarvis, to cave-in to Republican pressure to remove the Occupy protesters who are camping at Freedom Plaza and McPherson Park. Despite glowing praise from Democrats for a job well done in the handling of the protesters at a congressional hearing held this past Tuesday, January 24, 2012, leaflets were passed out Friday PM by National Park Service police. These require the removal of all tents by Monday, January 30 at 12 PM.
The link to this notice is as follows.
Despite Director Jarvis' statements to Congress that there had been no less than two previous long-term encampments on Washington DC property the National Park Service bowed to Republican pressure. Vehement support for the Occupiers was given by committee Democrats including Eleanor Holmes Norton, whose district these camps are in ,and Elija Cummings,the ranking member on the committee. The flyers, which were posted at both camps and handed out to all Occupy campers in attendance ,stated that they would be subject to arrest and their possessions seized ,if they did not vacate the park by the noon deadline.
Attorneys representing both camps have already filed suit in Federal District Court in an attempt to obtain a restraining order barring the Park Service from implementing its order. The court hearing is set for this Monday Feb 1 at 9:30AM. These attorneys have twice been successful in stopping previous evictions of McPherson Park.
Occupy DC and Occupy Washington DC are Calling for Action. All fellow Occupiers and members of the public interested in showing their support for this Occupation's continued representation of the 99% are encouraged to sound the alarm and rally at Freedom Plaza on Sunday, January 29 at noon. Due to the sudden call to action details of the protest and march will be released soon.
The two Occupy camps at Freedom Plaza and McPherson Park have been maintaining a 24 hour vigil ,as defined by the National Park Service, since October 2011. It is the intention of Occupy to maintain a visual presence at our Nation's Capitol on behalf of the many issues socially important to 99% of Americans. Occupy DC and Washington DC hope members of the public will spread the word and attend this important event.
