Protesters camped out in Freedom Plaza on Pennsylvania Avenue a few blocks from the White House have been offered a four-month extension of their permit that expired Monday afternoon, but the illegal shanty town that sprung up over the weekend could still lead to arrests. Leaders of the October 2011 anti-war and anti-corporate-greed demonstration met with U.S. Park Police officers Monday afternoon and brought the offer back to the group of about 200 people stationed in the plaza. The group approved the offer by a vote, although no decision was made about whether to pack up the dozens of tents and sleeping bags across the plaza, which is owned by the National Park Service.
“I think it’s an option that shows we have some political power right now because we’re getting some good press coverage for what we stand for and we’re behaving pretty well,” organizer Kevin Zeese told the crowd after his meeting with park police.
