Of 160 Cities, First OWS Arrests Made of Non-Obstructive Peaceful Protesters Last Night?

[dannno]

So the arrests we've seen so far in New York were due to obstructing traffic, a safety issue with which many would find reasonable.

However, last night, at least 8 people were arrested as cops told about 100 in attendance to vacate the public park in front of city hall in Santa Barbara, CA.

They were released today and many (maybe more?) plan on going back again tonight to confront police on their first amendment rights to the public space and to petition government.

According to protesters, of 160 cities they are the first to be arrested for occupying a public space while not endangering anybody including themselves in the process.

I covered the protest at this location the first night in a thread located here, I was part of the confrontation when two police officers came by and decided to leave everyone alone:

http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?320342-My-Occupy-Wall-St.-Experience..-I-have-to-laugh

[dannno]

bump

[pcosmar]

The ones on the Brooklyn Bridge (700) were escorted out onto the bridge by police.

Some say lured out on the bridge then arrested.
http://gawker.com/5846793/lawsuit-filed-over-brooklyn-bridge-mass-arrest
Regardless, they were under police escort and were both peaceful and in compliance.

[dannno]

So I found out that the protesters posted a video camera up on private property at a nearby business WITH the business owner's permission, but 10 minutes before the cops came to arrest them, they REMOVED THE CAMERA!! :mad:

The Mayor of our town is actually really cool (I voted for her even though she's on the left, this is a unique town, don't mind the sales tax cause I buy most of my stuff online and she's way better than the fascist Republicans here aka pro-medicinal cannabis which I use). She has heard about this and is concerned that she is the Mayor of the first city that has made arrests on peaceful individuals not occupying private property or endangering anybody. They all got a good lawyer who is going to work for them for free, and they are going to contact the ACLU.

I guess there were some arrested in San Francisco for occupying a Chase Bank recently as well, but that's private property.