http://abclocal.go.com/kfsn/story?section=news/local&id=8407340
Protestors try to block Fresno homeless cleanup
Thursday, October 27, 2011
FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Protestors attempted to block city crews from cleaning up a homeless encampment on Santa Fe near Ventura in Downtown Fresno Thursday morning. The City of Fresno issued an eviction notice to the residents of the homeless encampment saying they had to vacate the premises by 7 a.m. Thursday morning.
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Early Thursday morning, many of the people living in the encampment had not moved out of the area.
Dozens of protesters, many from the Occupy Fresno movement, organized an effort to stop the cleanup.
One homeless person Action News spoke with said she had no place to go.
"I'm not leaving. I don't have any place that is safe and secure, said Margaret Edmiston, "I have a place that's covered. I'm protected from the rain and the elements."
http://www.readersupportednews.org/news-section2/316-20/8116-focus-oakland-mayor-jean-quans-about-face
Oakland Mayor Jean Quan's About-Face
27 October 11
Oakland Mayor Jean Quan's rather remarkable statement below marks a watershed for the burgeoning American Occupy movements.Cast against the backdrop of Wednesday's fully-militarized Oakland city center, Quan's effusively conciliatory remarks can only be interpreted as an admission that turning downtown Oakland into a war zone to roll up a tent-city encampment did not work.
It should be noted that adherence to non-violent discipline on the part of the Occupy Oakland organizers and all the protesters that participated throughout the day was a critically important factor in forcing the City of Oakland's hand.
Brute-force police oppression of the Occupy movement has taken its best shot. It is possible that non-violent resistance has prevailed. -- Marc Ash/RSN
We support the goals of the Occupy Wall Street movement: we have high levels of unemployment and we have high levels of foreclosure that makes Oakland part of the 99% too. We are a progressive city and tolerant of many opinions. We may not always agree, but we all have a right to be heard.
I want to thank everyone for the peaceful demonstration at Frank Ogawa Park tonight, and thank the city employees who worked hard to clean up the plaza so that all activities can continue including Occupy Wall Street. We have decided to have a minimal police presence at the plaza for the short term and build a community effort to improve communications and dialogue with the demonstrators.
99% of our officers stayed professional during difficult and dangerous circumstances as did some of the demonstrators who dissuaded other protestors from vandalizing downtown and for helping to keep the demonstrations peaceful. For the most part, demonstrations over the past two weeks have been peaceful. We hope they continue to be so.
I want to express our deepest concern for all of those who were injured last night, and we are committed to ensuring this does not happen again. Investigations of certain incidents are underway and I will personally monitor them.
We understand and recognize the impact this event has had on the community and acknowledge what has happened. We cannot change the past, but we are committed to doing better.
Most of us are part of the 99%, and understand the spirit of the Occupy Wall Street Movement. We are committed to honoring their free speech right.
Finally, we understand the demonstrators want to meet with me and Chief Jordan. We welcome open dialogue with representatives of Occupy Wall Street members, and we are willing to meet with them as soon as possible.
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