Update 6:26 a.m.
Protesting an eviction notice, Occupy L.A.‘ers demonstrated on Sunday night and in the waking hours of Monday, closing down 1st St. between Main St. and Spring St.
LAPD arrested four demonstrators. Cars and buses-normal traffic-proceeded on 1st street by 6:20 a.m.
Update: 6:13 a.m.
1st St. will reopen within moments, a LAPD officer announced on a megaphone at 6:05 am.
Prompting cheers from the Occupy demonstrators, police began leaving the site at 6:06 a.m., riding on the back of trucks and departing in groups on motorcycles. More than 50 officers were on a one-block radius on 1st St., between Main St. and Spring St.
It was a night and morning of mixed emotions from the Occupy camp. One moment many were cursing the police as they made arrests. No more than 30 minutes later, demonstrators thanked the police for their peaceful tactics.
Update: 6:00 a.m.
LAPD arrested several Occupy L.A. demonstrators on Monday morning.
Police officers in riot gear who had, only a few minutes before, come to the edge of the encampment, began slowly backing away in line from the camp, appearing to be taking orders.
Three days earlier, city officials issued an eviction notice against Occupy L.A.
Update: 5:50 a.m.
Los Angeles police department officials arrested several Occupy L.A. demonstrators early Monday morning. Police officials were seeking to follow through on an eviction notice issued to the local Occupy movement three days ago.
Adam Rice, an Occupy L.A. demonstrator, said “the people won.” The police wanted to clear the camp out by one minute after midnight, but the Occupy demonstrators held the camp until 5 a.m., Rice said.
Monday morning marked the first time the police came onto the encampment “with force,” Rice saId. It was not the first time arrests were made related to Occupy L.A., he said, explaining that police arrest demonstrators on Nov. 5 during a daytime rally.
Rice said that there were 6,500 people in total support of the camp at various points from Sunday evening to Monday morning,
“It was beautiful. I couldn’t even get a seat,” Rice said of the Occupy L.A. General Assembly meeting that took place Sunday night.
Estimates on turnout varied. Tony Nathan, another participant at Occupy L.A., estimated that nearly 2,000 people turned out for the anti-eviction demonstration, counting those who have been camping out and people who came for the single protest.
Update 5:20 a.m.
A handful of demonstrators were arrested, Commander Andrew Smith, LAPD spokesman, said in an interview with reporters as police clashed with demonstrators only a few feet away at the south edge of the camp at Main St. and 1st St. Smith said that protesters threw objects, possibly bamboo, at police. Smith could not confirm the exact amount arrested.
Smith said the protest has been non-violent for the most part.
Update: 5:15 a.m.
Reports that demonstrators were throwing Objects at the police at south edge of the camp. Media told to stay on sidewalk or face arrest.
The other main area of action at Occupy L.A.. In defiance of the eviction, the nonviolent sit in at the center of the camp, continued.
Update: 5:08 a.m.
The scene at Occupy L.A. grew chaotic as police advanced to the camp at Main St. and 1st St. “Protect and serve,” demonstrators chanted. “We are the 99%…Who’s blocking traffic now!”
Reports from various news outlets came in before midnight on Monday, Nov. 28 that Occupy L.A. demonstrators had taken to the streets outside Los Angeles City Hall, gathering on 1st St, between Spring St. and Main St. in defiance of city officials’ announcement that the anti-corporate protest movement would be evicted today.
An organizer with Occupy L.A. said that he’d heard that LAPD officials planned on arresting demonstrators remaining in the street but would not enter the encampment until daybreak. By 4 a.m., the police, standing at the southern edge of the camp, had not arrested anybody.
The announcement that the camp would be evicted was made three days ago, according to Occupy demonstrators.
The Journal is live on the scene reporting. Check back for updates.
