Mayor Nutter Gives Occupy Philly 48 Hours To Move From Dilworth Plaza
Oren Liebermann reports...
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Mayor Nutter held a late afternoon press conference on Friday to give the promised 48-hour warning for Occupy Philadelphia protesters to vacate their camp on Dilworth Plaza so work can begin on the $50 million construction project.
As of 5 p.m. Sunday, Mayor Michael Nutter says protesters and their possession must be off Dilworth Plaza.
"And the promised 48-hour notice, warning to take advantage of the time to gather their belongings. They have literally two days to do that. I'm not going to try and predict what is going to happen at Sunday at 5 p.m. because we don't know what is going to happen over the course of the next couple of days. I'm hopeful for cooperation," said Nutter.
But the Occupy Philly crowd rallying outside City Hall stood determined to hang on to the plaza they have called home for two months.
"It got bigger in Oakland after they came in," said Jesse Greenberg, a member of the movement. "I hope to God police show up and someone does something stupid."
And organizers see it as a victory that Occupy Philly is still strong.
"We have shown our ability here in Philadelphia and other places around the world to peacefully assemble, to have our free speech heard, and to show that we are a force to be reckoned with," said Randy Quinn, a member of Occupy Philly Reasonable Solutions, a working group that works with the city.
A new permit will go into effect Monday morning. Occupy Philadelphia protestors will be limited to their First Amendment rights on the plaza of the Municipal Services Building from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. No sleeping. No camping. No overnight activities. And the mayor says office space is being worked out for Occupy Philadelphia's Reasonable Solutions Committee's use.
Reported by John McDevitt, KYW Newsradio; Oren Liebermann, CBS3
