Occupy L.A.: Police declare an unlawful assembly, warn of arrests
At 12:30 a.m. Wednesday, Los Angeles police declared an unlawful assembly from a squad car microphone, prompting boos from the Occupy L.A. camp.
Officers said anyone who did not leave within next 10 minutes would be arrested, but some protesters refused to heed the orders while others dragged tents as they shuffled past police.
The declaration of an unlawful assembly came after hundreds of officers surged into the park and encircled a few hundred protesters on City Hall’s south lawn.
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Police continued to issue warnings to protesters to disperse, but few appeared to be leaving.
Mason, who was arrested during a protest at Bank of America this month, said, "There's no curfew on the 1st Amendment."
A group of city officials and religious leaders stood on the steps of headquarters watching, including Chief Deputy City Atty. William Carter, and religious leaders who on Sunday night called for police restraint when enforcing the eviction.
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-- Joel Rubin, Kate Linthicum, Alejandro Lazo, Robert Lopez, Ricardo Lopez and Andrew Blankstein
Photo: Occupy L.A. protesters join arms Tuesday night at City Hall.
Credit: Rock Loomis / Los Angeles Times
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