By Drew Grant 11/18/11 1:56pm

Occupy Wall Street

8 Photos

Photo via Kyle Christopher

Protester Dragged, Depantsed By NYPD During OWS Day of Action

One of the more gruesome images of yesterday came from a fight that broke out when OWS protester Brandon Watts allegedly threw batteries down at the NYPD from the walls of Zuccotti Park yesterday afternoon before snatching an officer’s hat and getting pulled down. Twitter and YouTube blew up with images of Mr. Watts, blood dripping from his skull, as he was lead away by the police. One of the images made the cover of today’s New York Daily News. Mr. Watts has been charged with assault and grand larceny, and was treated for his injuries in Bellvue Hospital. Read More

By Hunter Walker 11/18/11 12:45pm

Field Trips

Protesters amassing on the pedestrian walkway at the base of the Brooklyn Bridge. (Photo: Hunter Walker)

After Stormy Week, Occupy Wall Street Takes Thousands on a Walk Across the Brooklyn Bridge

Leading up to Thursday night’s Occupy Wall Street march across the Brooklyn Bridge, the atmosphere was ominous. Streets in the financial district were filled with helmeted police officers on horseback and empty police wagons. After an afternoon filled with hundreds of violent arrests, protesters in Zuccotti Park prepared for the worst as they readied to culminate the day with a massive march across the Brooklyn Bridge. Read More

By Hunter Walker 11/16/11 5:06pm

Out of Towners

Former Philadelphia Police Captain Ray Lewis occupying Zuccotti Park last night. (Photo: YouTube)

Former Philadelphia Police Captain Ray Lewis Joins With Occupy Wall Street Protesters [Video]

Update: Mr. Lewis has been arrested, according to multiple reports.
Retired Philadelphia Police Captain Ray Lewis was in Zuccotti Park last night with the Occupy Wall Street protesters. Mr. Lewis showed up in uniform carrying signs a pair of signs imploring New York City cops to join the protests. “NYPD Don’t Be Wall Street Mercenaries,” one read. Mr. Lewis was interviewed on one of the Occupy Wall Street livestreams at about two this morning. He was sharply critical of the NYPD’s conduct during their raid on the protest encampment Tuesday. “This bullrush–what happened last night is totally uncalled for,” Mr. Lewis said.  Read More

By The Editors 11/16/11 9:52am

opinion

Clearing (Whose) Park(?)

As police moved in to clear Zuccotti Park for valid health and safety concerns, some of the protesters chanted, “Whose park? Our park.”

Well, no. The protesters, earnest though many are, have it exactly wrong. The park does not belong to them. Read More

By Adrianne Jeffries & Hunter Walker 11/15/11 7:06pm

Homecomings

Protester proclaims the grand re-opening of Zuccotti Park, Tuesday, Nov. 15.

Protesters Re-Occupy Zuccotti Park

Occupy Wall Street protesters have returned to Zuccotti Park–without their tents, sleeping bags or other personal belongings. Protesters were evicted from the park at about one this morning during a late night NYPD raid. A court denied the protesters’ bid to restore their full encampment shortly before 5 p.m. Read More

By Hunter Walker 11/15/11 7:05pm

Occupy Wall Street

The NYPD occupies Zuccotti Park (Getty Images)

The Panic in Zuccotti Park: Protesters Rousted After Two-Month Occupation

On Oct. 14, Mayor Bloomberg lost his first standoff with the Occupy Wall Street protesters. On that occasion, he threatened to evict demonstrators to give Zuccotti an early-morning, high-powered hosing. Protesters managed to battle him back with an arsenal of mops, brooms and media attention.

This time was different.

There was no 24-hour warning as the police descended in the wee hours of Tuesday morning. A protester who said his name was Casper Michaels told us the NYPD made a brief announcement via megaphone ordering Occupy Wall Street to disperse around 1:00 a.m. Police also distributed flyers on behalf of Brookfield Properties, bearing the heading “Notice of Requirement to Remove Property From Zuccotti Park” and citing health and fire hazards as their reasons for clearing the area. “That means you must remove the property now,” it read. Read More

By Matt Chaban 11/15/11 11:11am

Occupy Wall Street

Zuccotti Park rangers. (Getty)

Brookfield: Thank You Mayor Bloomberg for Letting Us Clean Up Zuccotti Park

Brookfield Properties has just released a statement thanking the mayor and the city agencies that evicted the Occupy Wall Street protestors in the predawn hours this morning. It is not clear what exactly set this off, perhaps it was the injured paramedic the mayor has made reference to, but as he said it today’s press conference, “We have been in constant contact with Brookfield and yesterday they requested that the City assist it in enforcing the no sleeping and camping rules in the park.”

The feeling on both sides was that the situation had deteriorated to such a point that action was necessary. “In our view, these risks were unacceptable and it would have been irresponsible to not request that the City take action,” Brookfield said in its statement, which you can read in full below. Read More