Dear Commons Community,

Protesters returned to Zuccotti Park yesterday after it was cleared of tents, tarps and sleeping bags.    A  federal judge ruled that the protesters may return to assemble but they cannot re-erect tents or use the park for sleeping.

The NY Times has an editorial on the wisdom and motives of this move on the part Mayor Michael Bloomberg who was quoted as saying that:

“the park’s owner had asked the city to clear the area… [and] that the surprise police action in the middle of the night [Tuesday] was safer for everybody because fewer people were at the park…[and] the protesters would be allowed in the park 24 hours a day but not to sleep.”

Asked what happens when somebody lies down or goes to sleep on a bench in the park, the mayor said the protester would be asked to leave. If that does not work, the demonstrator would be carried out.

The editorial concludes that this sounds like a recipe for conflict.

Also this coming Thursday (11/17) is a day of scheduled actions across the nation for economic justice and in support of the Occupy Wall Street movement. Here in New York City, local labor unions and students will be meeting at Foley Square at 5:00 pm.

Tony