Here's the press release from the Occupy Asheville Media Working Group:
OCCUPY ASHEVILLE: PUBLIC SPACE BELONGS TO THE PUBLIC
Group Returns Permit For Lexington Ave. Camp Before City Council Meeting “No” Vote
Eight Arrested Tuesday Night in Peaceful Defiance of 10:00pm Pack Square Park Curfew
Asheville NC – The last 24 hours have been busy for Occupy Asheville. Due to existing concerns with the location and conditions at the City approved Lexington Avenue camp, Occupy Asheville returned their City permit for the camp space during Tuesday’s City Council meeting. The Council subsequently voted to expel the group from the Lexington Avenue site while waiving any fees the group had accrued.
“The City Council kept asking for ideas and solutions from Occupy Asheville members regarding the needs of the group in securing a camp location,” said Martin Ramsey. “Multiple speakers provided solutions: waive the 10pm park curfew that would allow overnight First Amendment assembly in Asheville parks.”
The request to waive the 10pm curfew was denied by Council in a 6-1 vote.
“This isn’t business as usual – we are facing an economic and social crisis on a global scale,” explained Naomi Archer. “Meanwhile, the City treats this emergency protest assembly like a seasonal craft fair.”
Later Tuesday night, eight members of Occupy Asheville peacefully defied the Pack Square curfew and were arrested by a large force of Asheville Police. Many Occupy members are deeply frustrated with lip service support from the City without a commitment to provide meaningful resources or access to the public spaces.
“We were arrested for exercising our rights to gather and talk,” said Joe Wallen, one of the eight arrestees.
Since Occupy Asheville began on September 28th, as many as 40 campers have been camping overnight on public and private space around downtown Asheville in solidarity with Occupy Wall Street campers. The Lexington Avenue site was reluctantly accepted by the group as temporary camp location but was plagued by its low visibility, safety, and environmental concerns. Occupy Asheville worked exhaustively to make the best of a difficult situation, but is now moving forward with renewed effort to express the needs and frustrations of the 99 percent.
---------
Occupy Asheville's website is here.
OCCUPY ASHEVILLE: PUBLIC SPACE BELONGS TO THE PUBLIC
Group Returns Permit For Lexington Ave. Camp Before City Council Meeting “No” Vote
Eight Arrested Tuesday Night in Peaceful Defiance of 10:00pm Pack Square Park Curfew
Asheville NC – The last 24 hours have been busy for Occupy Asheville. Due to existing concerns with the location and conditions at the City approved Lexington Avenue camp, Occupy Asheville returned their City permit for the camp space during Tuesday’s City Council meeting. The Council subsequently voted to expel the group from the Lexington Avenue site while waiving any fees the group had accrued.
“The City Council kept asking for ideas and solutions from Occupy Asheville members regarding the needs of the group in securing a camp location,” said Martin Ramsey. “Multiple speakers provided solutions: waive the 10pm park curfew that would allow overnight First Amendment assembly in Asheville parks.”
The request to waive the 10pm curfew was denied by Council in a 6-1 vote.
“This isn’t business as usual – we are facing an economic and social crisis on a global scale,” explained Naomi Archer. “Meanwhile, the City treats this emergency protest assembly like a seasonal craft fair.”
Later Tuesday night, eight members of Occupy Asheville peacefully defied the Pack Square curfew and were arrested by a large force of Asheville Police. Many Occupy members are deeply frustrated with lip service support from the City without a commitment to provide meaningful resources or access to the public spaces.
“We were arrested for exercising our rights to gather and talk,” said Joe Wallen, one of the eight arrestees.
Since Occupy Asheville began on September 28th, as many as 40 campers have been camping overnight on public and private space around downtown Asheville in solidarity with Occupy Wall Street campers. The Lexington Avenue site was reluctantly accepted by the group as temporary camp location but was plagued by its low visibility, safety, and environmental concerns. Occupy Asheville worked exhaustively to make the best of a difficult situation, but is now moving forward with renewed effort to express the needs and frustrations of the 99 percent.
---------
Occupy Asheville's website is here.
Subscribe to XpressMail. Free Sneak Peek. Every Week.
Want to know what's coming out in Xpress this week before the paper even hits the stands?
We've got your free sneak peek, along with deals available in XpressMail, our weekly email newsletter. (It's the best we can do without time travel.)
-
Comments
-
Related Articles
-
Comments
Make a comment
How silly of the 1% to insist it represents 99% of the people in this country. Forcefully "occupying" public property is in effect denying the use of public property by the rest of the citizenry (and illegally so). The latest Pew Poll on this matter shows that 39% support the rather incoherent views of this "movement" while 35% oppose it. 16% on either side of the issues "strongly" oppose or support it. 20% are undecided or do not know how they feel about it. That is not a consensus of any sort and certainly not at all reflective of any concept of "99%". It help your cause when all of mainstream media are working to your advantage.
By travelah
10/26/2011
Thanks for posting this, Jake. Is this the full statement they issued? Clicking through on the link, I can't manage to find the statement at all (but that could be my ineptitude). Thanks again ...
By Jon Elliston
10/26/2011
Hey Jon, yes, this is the full statement. I linked to the Occupy Asheville website, but it doesn't look like they've posted it there yet. The release was sent to us in the body of an email and I just copied and pasted it in this blogwire post.
By Jake Frankel
10/26/2011
Hey Jon, yes, this is the full statement. I linked to the Occupy Asheville website, but it doesn't look like they've posted it there yet. The release was sent to us in the body of an email and I just copied and pasted it in this blogwire post.
By Jake Frankel
10/26/2011
Thanks Jake
By Jon Elliston
10/26/2011
Thanks Jake
By Jon Elliston
10/26/2011
Love Jake's embellishment of the story. A large force of Asheville police arrested the protesters, who btw, were violating the curfew. Really, Jake, a large force. Maybe sized appropriately to control the situation. Try to report and not advocate.
By indy499
10/28/2011
Why double the police size to those being arrested for peaceful protest while the battlefield was seeing combat on Lexington Ave?
Occupy Asheville wants to have a location 24/7 to educate the masses what the real problems are in Society thereby finding a solution too.
When truth is known what information we share, most agree reform is needed. Only those with their heads in the sand, disagree.
By glolady
10/29/2011
The masses of Asheville don't know what is going on .... well, duh ...
By travelah
10/31/2011