Occupy New Haven protesters given reprieve (VIDEO)

WFSB ^

[matt04]

Occupy New Haven activists faced a deadline to leave the city Green, but a federal judge ruled Wednesday that they can stay for at least two weeks while their case is heard in court.

The office of New Haven mayor John DeStefano released a statement Wednesday that said, "Any structures or personal belongings on the Green after noon (Wednesday) are subject to removal and may be discarded."

Lawyers for the Occupy group said the activists' free speech rights are at stake, and they were seeking a court order barring any eviction.

"We're going to have to use those two weeks wisely. Organize, think about evolution of the Occupy movement," said one protester.

That request was granted after the federal judge ruled Wednesday that all of the protesters in the encampment will be allowed to stay on the New Haven Green for at least two weeks while the case is heard in court.

"The occupy movement is a grass root effort on behalf of ordinary people to say we're angry as hell. We're not going to take anymore," said Norm Pattis, the attorney representing the protesters.

City officials said Tuesday night that the group fails to recognize that New Haven Green is a public space for all, and the activists are essentially seeking to have the Green declared their own private property.

[matt04]

It's not free speech to destroy public property. Watch the video or look at any of the pictures of any Occupy camps and the once nice parks are trashed. In New Haven that are area was grass, but what now looks like a hard packed dirt field.

[Daffynition]

I see from this mornings paper one of the petulant NHOWSers was raped. How sad is that.....go home. Get a job.

[Daffynition]

Marching to city hall to speak with the mayor...

chanting: "Whose city hall?" one protester asked.

"Our city hall!" the rest shouted together.