More than 1000 officers descended on the park shortly issuing protesters with eviction letters and warning that they would be arrested if they remained. Picture: AAP Source: AAP
More than 1000 officers descended on the park shortly issuing protesters with eviction letters and warning that they would be arrested if they remained. Picture: AAP Source: AAP
NEW York police dressed in riot gear clashed with protesters and made several arrests as they attempted to clear "Occupy Wall Street" demonstrators.
More than 1000 officers descended on the park shortly after midnight local time, issuing protesters with eviction letters and warning that they would be arrested if they remained.
The� police were followed by sanitation workers, one of whom was overheard saying: "We're gonna disinfect the hell out of this place."
The eviction letters declared: "The city has determined that the continued occupation of Zuccotti Park poses an increasing health and fire safety hazard.
We also require that you immediately leave the park on a temporary basis so it can be cleared and restored for its intended use."
The letter added: "You will be allowed to return to the park in several hours, when this work is complete. If you decide to return, you will not be permitted to bring tents, sleeping bags, tarps and similar materials with you."
As police officers surrounded the park, protesters began chanting "Whose park? Our park!" and "You don't have to do this." Some protesters positioned near the encampment's kitchen linked themselves together using padlocks.
After more than an hour, approximately 300 protesters remained at the park. At least three arrests were made within the first hour of the police operation, the New York Post reported.
Just before 2am local time, police began to clear the park more aggressively and knocked over the tent from which protesters were streaming video of Zuccotti Park.
One protester refused to get out of the tent, and three officers in riot gear carried him away wrapped in pieces of tent and tarp.
New York councilman Ydanis Rodriguez suffered a head injury during the fracas, WNYW reported.
"EVERYONE should get to the park immediately for eviction defense!" the group posted on its website.
"You can't evict an idea whose time has come," it added.
By 3am local time, a group of more than 200 ousted protesters was marching north up Centre Street.
Police were seen using batons to beat a small group of protesters who tried to cross Centre at Grand Street in a crosswalk and with the green light.
The marchers reportedly splintered into numerous smaller groups a short time later.
Hours before the operation commenced, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, NYPD commissioner Ray Kelly, New York City fire commissioner Sal Cassano and other officials convened in secret at City Hall to greenlight the campaign to clear the park, sources told the New York Post.
The raid came after Occupy Wall Street leaders announced their plans to wreak havoc on Thursday by shutting down Wall Street and the subways to mark the renegade group's two-month takeover of Zuccotti Park.
According to their website, the day will include "Mass, Non-violent Direct Action" to "Shut Down Wall Street" at 7am local time, "Occupy the Subways" in all five boroughs at 3pm local time and "Take the Square," referring to Foley Square, at 5pm local time.
Read more about riot police clash with Occupy protesters at the New York Post.
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