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City Hall Allows Protesters 24/7 Access To Cesar Chavez Plaza,...

• www.moderntimesmagazine.com
By John Guzzon
Modern Times Magazine

Oct. 20, 2011 — In a startling and befuddling change of policy, Occupy Phoenix was given permission by the city of Phoenix early Wednesday evening to occupy Cesar Chavez Plaza indefinitely if they want — provided that no one sleeps.

“We are allowed to occupy and set up canopies, tarps, and tables and stay there indefinitely but we CAN NOT sleep. You will have to find somewhere to sleep, but we can be there indefinitely. The city said if we can manage ourselves with this, then they can see about letting us sleep and stay. It is a step in the right direction, a big one... now.. let's celebrate with a party on Saturday at Cesar Chavez Plaza!” according to a post on the group’s official Facebook page Wednesday night.

Several of the nameless who have occupied the plaza for most of the past four days said Wednesday night that the rumor is that the city was partially motivated to open the plaza to Occupy Phoenix because of safety concerns. Since protesters had not given in to intimidation nor sought to confront police violently, they were forced to keep the protest alive on four feet of sidewalk between the plaza and Washington Ave. on the south side and city hall and the Wells Fargo building on the north side.

The only police presence in Cesar Chavez plaza Wednesday night — in contrast to 10 to 20 officers Saturday through Tuesday — were two officers sitting on motorcycles.

The city did not make themselves available for comment, however, the city's public information director did respond to a late-night e-mail that she would inquire about the city's about-face during business hours Thursday.........
 

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