After removing most tents from the McPherson Square Occupy camp Saturday afternoon, U.S. Park Police tore down several tents in Freedom Plaza Sunday.
Park Police arrived at Freedom Plaza at around noon and cordoned off most of the area with barricades. A HAZMAT team moved quickly through the tents, confiscating items it deemed “biohazards” and taking down some tents.
One man was arrested in connection with felony threats to a police officer, but the inspection was largely uneventful, with several dozen protesters standing in the park as police checked in tents. Occupiers played music, chatted and occasionally chanted at the police — “This Occupation is not leaving!”
The incident was markedly different from yesterday’s often-violent enforcement at McPherson Square, where police, carrying riot shields and wielding nightsticks, clashed with protesters as they attempted to move them out of the square.
One police officer was injured after being hit in the face by a brick during a struggle that ensued as police made a final push to get protesters out of the park. A man was later arrested and charged with felony assault on a police officer and assault with a dangerous weapon. Protesters said a number of Occupiers had sustained injuries in that incident as well.
Police made 10 other arrests at McPherson yesterday, U.S. Park Police Sgt. David Schlosser said — three for assaulting a police officer, three for crossing a police line and four for not obeying a lawful order.
