In the first 48 hours after the National Park Service began enforcing a camping ban in McPherson Square and Freedom Plaza, Park Police made no arrests, and Occupiers appeared to be staying put. And though the National Park Service has been criticized from Capitol Hill to city hall for being too lenient on Occupy DC, Sgt. David Schlosser said Park Service will continue to take a measured, incremental approach to the protesters.
Schlosser says the ban on sleeping in the park is being enforced, but that police are aiming for voluntary compliance from protesters.
“If you’re speeding down a highway and you’re stopped by police, you might get arrested, you might get a tongue lashing, or you might get a very gentle conversation,” he said. “That’s all enforcement.”
Park Police on Tuesday asked protesters to remove the “tent of dreams” — the massive tarp they slung over the statue of Gen. James McPherson in McPherson Square on Monday to protest the camping ban. Protesters refused, but by late Tuesday there was no indication that police would press the issue.
Some protesters initially expressed desires to defend the tent against police, but the protesters eventually agreed not to interfere if police tried to remove it.
“What point is it being here if we’re not going to protest?” said Occupier J.J. Heyward.
The Park Police aren’t the only ones who want the tent of dreams down. Two anti-Occupy protesters stopped by McPherson Square on Tuesday and, independent of each other, attempted to take down the massive tent themselves. One simply tugged on the tarp, ripping a large hole at the top and exposing the head of McPherson’s horse. Another showed up hours later with a pair of scissors, cut two tent lines and, protesters said, jabbed the scissors in protesters’ direction. He was escorted away by police.
“I think it’s disgusting that everyone can come along and desecrate public memorials,” said the first man, Paul Ferrow, who stopped by McPherson on his lunch break and was upset the statue had been covered.
Park Police have been mum on their plans for taking down the tarp. Schlosser said he couldn’t comment on “tactics for specific operations” but added that the Park Police have dealt with long-term protests for decades.
“We’ll go back to our long-term experience and [enforce the camping ban] skillfully and not so as to infringe on anyone’s rights,” he said.
