NYC Withdraws Cleaning Evacuation Order in Face of Defiant Occupy Wall Street Protesters

www.DemocracyNow.org - Occupy Wall Street protesters are celebrating in Manhattan's Financial District today after successfully defying orders to evacuate the encampment they have held for nearly four weeks. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg had said Zuccotti Park -- renamed Liberty Plaza by protesters -- would have to be cleared by 7 a.m. following a request by its owners that it be cleaned. Thousands of people began congregating in the square overnight amidst concerns the cleaning order was a pretext for evicting the protesters. Hours later, New York City officials announced the request to clear the park had been withdrawn. Democracy Now! broadcasts a live video report from Zuccotti Park from Democracy Now! reporter Ryan Devereaux.

"At about 6 a.m. in the morning, a march of union members arrived to Liberty Square and reception was one of pure joy, chanting, cheering," Devereaux says. He describes how protesters allocated $3,000 from their treasury to purchase cleaning supplies, and then "spent the better part of yesterday cleaning this spot and making sure it was as clean as possible when the inspectors arrived, giving the city no excuse to say this was in unsanitary place." We also speak with New York City Council member Jumaane Williams, who is one of many local officials who have lent their support for the occupation. "I think everyone kind of understands that this is a great movement going on," Williams says. "More importantly, it is something that should be supported, just like we supported all of the other movements going on around the world."

For the complete transcript, podcast, and for additional Democracy Now! reports on Occupy Wall Street and solidarity actions, visit http://www.democracynow.org/tags/occu...

FOLLOW DEMOCRACY NOW! ONLINE:
Facebook:   / democracynow  
Twitter: @democracynow
Subscribe on YouTube:    / democracynow  
Daily Email News Digest: http://www.democracynow.org/subscribe

Please consider supporting independent media by making a donation to Democracy Now!
today, visit http://www.democracynow.org/donate/YT