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[UPDATE] Occupy Wall Street Takes New Park, Near Holland Tunnel, Owned By Trinity Church
By
John Del Signore
Published Nov 15, 2011
Modified Nov 15, 2011
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By
John Del Signore
Published Nov 15, 2011
Modified Nov 15, 2011
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[UPDATE BELOW] Occupy Wall Street has taken a new park at 6th Avenue and Canal Street, by the entrance to the Holland Tunnel, according to a spokesman for the protesters. The park, Duarte Square, is privately owned by Trinity Church, and according to a statement from the demonstrators, a "delegation of faith leaders just arrived to support the hundreds already gathered." But it's unclear if the occupation, which was kicked out of Zuccotti Park this morning, has the church's full blessing.
The Times reports that "a delegation of protesters met with church officials to try to obtain permission. It was not clear how that negotiation went, but at 11 a.m., two protesters dressed in black, wearing black bandannas over the lower part of their faces, used bolt cutters to snip through the chain-link fence and the crowd began streaming in."
According to the Daily News, the first tent has already been set up. Let the drumming and fornicating begin!
Update: Owen Premo, an Occupy Wall Street spokesman, tells us that there are about 50 people in the park at the moment. "The church has not given permission that I know of," says Premo. "There is a conversation happening between the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, which administers the space, and the church, which owns it. This is one of their open public parks." Premo tells us the protesters' intention is to occupy the park in addition to a re-occupation of Zuccotti Park. He confirms that the occupiers streamed in after a fence was cut open. Now, according to Premo, approximately 50 police seem to be mobilizing to evict them.
Update 11:55 a.m.: The protesters have moved wooden benches against the chain link fence around the park, forming a makeshift barricade that riot police will surely find insurmountable! The NYPD seems poised to forcibly evict them, but it's still unclear what Trinity Church—which has a cute blog in support of Occupy Wall Street—has to say about this.
Update 12:05 p.m.:The LiveStream from the park is fitful, but the NYPD is arresting all the protesters who have refused to leave the park. (Hipster Cop was spotted on the scene!) Some demonstrators are being dragged out as others chant "This is what hypocrisy looks like!" Other protesters are announcing that police are arresting a woman in a wheelchair, and Daily News reporter Matthew Lysiak says, "I've been arrested."
Update 12:15 p.m.: Premo, the Occupy Wall Street spokesman, says that in addition to Lysiak, he saw one AP reporter and an AP photographer get arrested. He tells us police entered the park claiming that Trinity Church had asked them to clear the park. "We were with clergy who are part of the Interfaith Occupy Wall Street coalition, and they said they had not heard anything one way or another." Premo also tells us "police were unusually aggressive, attacking a couple of people on the street, and throwing them on the sidewalk." At least half a dozen people were arrested, and the park is now clear of protesters.
Update 12:21 p.m.: The Times Metro desk Tweets: "Looks like about 2 dozen arrests at church-owned lot next to Duarte Park at Canal St., incl. journos from AP, DailyNews, DNAInfo." Times reporter Colin Moynihan writes, "A few of the detentions were done roughly—one man was thrown on the ground by the police and officers kneeled on his back."
Tagged
duarte square
holland tunnel
occupy wall street
trinity church
Zuccotti Park
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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