Occupy Portland protesters remain after night split by tension, celebrating

[stevedeshazer]

http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2011/11/occupy_portland_protesters_rem_1.html

Portland officials and Occupy Portland protesters each claimed victory as dawn broke Sunday on Downtown Portland.

Many protesters, who have been living in Lownsdale and Chapman squares since Oct. 6, remain in the downtown parks despite a large police presence and a 12:01 a.m. deadline set by Mayor Sam Adams. At 7 a.m., protesters remained in both squares, which were both littered with the remains from campers who left in advance of Sunday morning's deadline.

"This has regalvanized our movement," said Madison Dines, 25, a Portland State University engineering student. He said the overnight protests were made up of dedicated Occupy Portland protesters.

He said the movement's focus has been on keeping the parks "We won," Dines said. "We were evicted and now we're staying."

More at link.

We are winning. I can't say enough good things about Occupy Portland and the city leaders and even the cops.

[stevedeshazer]

1. This is a victory for First Amendment rights.

Just to add.

[grasswire]

2. I can't say enough about the bike swarm.

That was genius, and I applaud all those who participated.

They circled the parks like a swarm of bees, over and over again, providing a presence. Hundreds of bicyclists answered the call to come down. I was most impressed.

[stevedeshazer]

3. That was cool.

Agree.

[Beartracks]

6. Any pictures or video of that? n/t

[grasswire]

7. there must be something somewhere

they were present for hours. Round and round and round. Hundreds of them.

[sabrina 1]

4. About time the people win something.

It was awesome to see the support from so many people and that they avoided what happened in Oakland, so far.

[Downwinder]

5. That was a thing of beauty, "Get off the street."