SEATTLE (AP) — Participants in the Occupy Seattle protest in downtown Westlake Park say they have been told the park is closed and if they remain they may be arrested.
That’s the word from Sharla Laurin, an Occupy Seattle peace and safety facilitator. She says that announcement was made over a loudspeaker shortly after 11 p.m. Monday. Protesters are hearing from the mayor’s office that there aren’t supposed to be any arrests. They’re hearing from Seattle police on scene that there may be.
Police spokesman Detective Mark Jamieson says he has no information about any arrests.
Mayor Mike McGinn visited the protesters earlier Monday, urging federal lawmakers to take action on President Obama’s jobs bill.
Tents went up in the park the first weekend in October in support of New York’s Occupy Wall Street demonstration against corporate political power. Seattle police arrested about two dozen people last Wednesday for refusing to remove tents, which aren’t allowed in the park.
