Atlanta: Police arrested 20 people after an
Occupy Atlanta protest rally in a city park spilled onto the
streets and officers converged on them on motorcycles, on
horseback and in riot gear.
A crowd of several hundred protesters had gathered at
Woodruff Park, the scene of about 50 arrests of demonstrators
last month, and set up tents. Organisers had said they planned
to stay overnight despite warnings from the mayor and police
that anyone there past the 11 pm closing would be arrested.
But as 11 pm approached, protesters began decamping
peacefully. Dozens of officers were on hand, herding
protesters away from the park`s entrances and installing
barricades around it. A police helicopter flew overhead.
While most protesters left the park, a few people stayed
behind. And as demonstrators poured onto Peachtree Street and
downtown, a police officer on a motorcycle drove into the
crowd, sparking a confrontation between officers and
protesters that turned tense at times.
Police officers in riot gear and on horseback filled the
street, warning protesters to stay on the sidewalk. The
protesters shouted at the officers, chanting slogans such as,
"Shame! Shame!" and "What about your pensions?" A small group
yelled more insulting things like, "Put the pigs back in their
sty, we the people occupy." Police made a number of arrests,
mostly people who disobeyed orders to stay on the sidewalk.
Police issued a statement early today saying 19 people
who either refused to leave the park after the 11 pm closing
time or blocked nearby roads were arrested. The statement also
said another person accused of assaulting a motorcycle officer
on patrol was arrested and charged with aggravated assault and
obstruction.
PTI
