Occupy protesters vote to leave park

October 25, 2011 at 9:13 a.m. | Updated October 25, 2011 at 3:15 p.m.

by Gavin Lesnick

Little Rock Police Chief Stuart Thomas speaks to a group of Occupy Little Rock protesters Monday at their camp at the Clinton Presidential Park in Little Rock. Thomas has offered the group a permit to camp at a city-owned parking lot between the downtown post office and Interstate 30.
Little Rock Police Chief Stuart Thomas speaks to a group of Occupy Little Rock protesters Monday at their camp at the Clinton Presidential Park in Little Rock. Thomas has offered the group a permit to camp at a city-owned parking lot between the downtown post office and Interstate 30.

LITTLE ROCK — Members of the Occupy Little Rock protest voted Monday night to relocate from the Clinton Presidential Park to a nearby parking lot after police warned they were violating city ordinance.

Thomas Hudson, a participant in the protest against economic inequity, corporate influence and other issues, said Tuesday the group hopes to be out of the Clinton park by 5 p.m.

Hudson said more than 100 protesters met for five hours Monday night and then voted 92 percent in favor of shifting the demonstration to a parking lot between the Capitol Avenue post office and Interstate 30.

The city offered the group a permit at that spot along with access there to waste and portable toilets. Little Rock Police Department Chief Stuart Thomas gave the group till 6 p.m. today to make its decision.

Little Rock Police Chief Stuart Thomas speaks to the media about the department's plans to relocate the Occupy Little Rock protesters from the Clinton center to a city-owned lot at Fourth and Ferry streets.

Occupy LR Press Conference

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Following a press conference on Monday, Oct. 24, Little Rock Police Chief Stuart Thomas visits the Occupy Little Rock protest site at the Clinton center to discuss their relocation to a city-owned parking lot.

Occupy LR Meeting with Police Chief Stuart Thomas

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Hudson said there were members of the protest who wanted to "take a stand," staying in the park while risking citation or arrest. But he said he believed everyone would move together to the new location.

"We're big on consensus here," Hudson said, sitting beside a fire pit in the center of more than a dozen tents on the park grounds. "Although we have some very different views, solidarity is important to us."

Protesters with Occupy Little Rock marched through downtown Saturday morning.

Protesters march through downtown LR

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Thomas warned the group Monday that staying put outside the Clinton Center placed the protesters in violation of ordinances prohibiting camping in a public place and holding a special event without a permit.

Hudson said the group opted to move despite believing they were legally allowed to stay.

"We feel that our activities are entirely protected by our freedom of speech and our freedom of assembly," he said.

There "has been talk" about returning to the Clinton park during the day while camping out at the night at the nearby lot, though no decision has been made, Hudson said. He added the group may also place more emphasis on marches through downtown.

Read tomorrow's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.

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