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Hennepin Co. Board OKs Occupy Rules For Plaza

November 8, 2011 5:11 PM
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(credit: CBS)

(credit: CBS)

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MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – The Hennepin County Board has approved new restrictions on protesters who have been occupying a downtown Minneapolis government plaza for more than a month.

The commissioners unanimously approved the changes Tuesday. While protesters can still demonstrate at the plaza, starting Monday they cannot tape signs to county property, leave items unattended or sleep on the plaza or grounds.

NewsRadio 830 WCCO’s Samantha Smith Reports

County officials say the plazas are not designed for camping or long-term occupation, and the changes are needed because of health and safety concerns and increased security costs.

Nick Espinosa, one of the protest organizers, calls the changes “an eviction notice.” He says the protesters plan to ask the county board to rescind the rules.

The protesters have occupied the plaza since Oct. 7 in solidarity with the Occupy Wall Street movement.

(© Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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  • Rags

    Bums and hooligans.

    • Susan

      Do you mean the Hennepin County commissioners who took away the people’s right to vote and then raised their taxes for the benefit of the billionaire Pohlad family?

      I agree.

      • jed

        Ineptocracy (in-ep-toc’-ra-cy) – a system of government where the least capable to lead are elected by the least capable of producing, and where the members of society least likely to sustain themselves or succeed, are rewarded with goods and services paid for by the confiscated wealth of a diminishing number of producers.

  • Mark

    Welcome to your new ploice state where free speech only applies to those who are “aesthetically pleasing”. I don’t appreciate that some GOP comments are offensive or disgusting, but do I say don’t allow them? NO! I might not like your oppinion, but does that mean you can’t scream it out to all who will listen? ABSOLUTLY! PLEASE DO! It is your right.

    But we at occupy obviously fall under a different set of rules.

    This is a very dark day in this nation.

    • Jack

      thats because of daylight savings time.

    • Billy

      You stickin lazy hippy want-to be’s need to go back to your parent’s basements. No bank or Wall streeter broke a law, you may not like what they did because you’re jealous, but no law was broken. Your law makers should be protested if you want the law changed, you can start with Obama and keep going. I would run tear gas through the plaza every hour to get you bums moving and de-louce the area.

    • Sick of occupy

      This is why everyone thinks you guys are just a joke. Who is telling you you can’t comment or protest? The rules layed down are for everyone, they are not just directed at occupy. Listen, really, you guys are just boring. It’s over – go home – no one really cares. Put your efforts to getting a job and if you can’t find one create one. Do something worhwhile than sitting around on your a—

    • bobby

      being a little dramatic there, don’t you think Mark? A dark day in this nation? Give me a break…9/11 was a dark day in the nation, Pearl Harbor was a dark day in the nation….Occupy being told that we don’t want you to get frostbite and hypothermia and take up unneeded time at the local hospital is a good thing. Protest, Mark. Protest all you like. No one is stopping you. We just don’t want to pick up the tab when you have to go to the hospital.
      wait…maybe if these rules weren’t put in place you could change your name to Occupy HCMC?

  • Jake

    Mark, long gone are the days when somebody would ask you, “What have you done for your country lately??”. No, I’m not talking about protesting. I’m talking about actually paying taxes, paying back your gov’t insured loans, about serving your country, about being a responsible human being and leaving others alone, that kind of thing. You get out of life what you put into it. I don’t see these protesters putting much IN, but demanding a helluva lot out from it. They claim to be so smart, yet they put on the most juvenile form of expression ever invented, and expect to get great results.

  • Marci the Lez

    These bums must be setting records for going unbathed. They refuse to acknowledge just how stupid they look..And sound..And act.

  • Billy Bob Has A Gun

    Why arent there more Somalians there protesting? They dont shower! Life is All about them! They stink! They sue ever ten minutes……

  • Jake

    What a WASTE of LIFE. For these people to even TRY to compare themselves to any other protest (bowel) movement is an insult to our collective intelligence.
    I have yet to see a single one of these protesters present a credible resume to the media, and explain how they can’t keep or find a job in their field of endeavor. Pretty sad, really, considering that most of these are college grads.
    I say, keep the sprinklers in the plaza fully charged, and when the temps go below freezing, turn the sprinklers ON, so the pipes don’t freeze. If the protesters get a little wet, OH WELL…..

    • A Voter

      What are your credentials Jake, other than a big mouth?
      Work hard Jake, I don’t want my social security check to be late.
      I also like the way the City of Minneapolis has change the rules after
      the game has begun, what’s next?

      • mike

        What`s your name voter?Too embarassed?I would be too if I was getting a check I probably didn`t deserve.

  • Reailty

    Good call Hennipen County. I do not agree with most of your decisions but this one was the right call. Its funny these folks say they represent the 99%, but why is it there is always less than 1% of even a cities population at these events. These clowns are costing to much tax payers money to complain about nothing.

  • tina

    OK, Kids….calm down…..this “Occupy” movement is basically a 2011 version of the hippy movement of the 60′s…..for different reasons, of course. Nonetheless, the hippy movement dissolved in the 70′s when they realized that their “cause” and protests yielded nothing. Then they shut up and found jobs, quit smoking dope, got married and had kids. The same will happen with these protesters. Don’t hate them. They are idealistic at this point (like we all were when we were their age.) But it will fade. Give them their limelight now while they can enjoy it. Again…..it will fade……

  • http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2011/11/08/hennepin-co-board-oks-occupy-rules-for-plaza-2/ Hennepin Co. Board OKs Occupy Rules For Plaza « CBS Minnesota

    [...] [check out the report] Share this No comments // [...]

  • Iron Range American

    This movement will not fade! The protesters are in for the the long haul. These protesters are not dope smoking hippies. Its about time people in this country stood up and used their rights to protest what is wrong with this country. I have a job and a college education and am a veteran and I support a person to to use their CONSTITIONAL RIGHT to protest what is wrong. You might not agree but give them their right to protest. The name calling on these pages is ridiculous. This is America and this what its all about. Where would you be if the people at Concord and Lexington where ridiculed like these people are?

    • al

      get a grip, buddy

    • bobby

      First of all, no one is saying they can’t protest. Protest all you want, no one cares. These rules are set now so that people aren’t being taken to the hospital with frostbite and hypothermia…I’m willing to bet that the majority of these people don’t have health insurance, which means more of a burden to the taxpayers who will pay those hospital bills.

  • mike

    desparity between the rich and poor,PLEASE!if you people want to live in a socialist society go to canada,I`m tired of paying to support you.

    Housing is not a right if someone else is paying for it.In case you`re interested the interest rate on my ARM has gone down in the past few years.

    If you`re broke and homeless it`s your fault not mine.

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