Police arrest 19 Orlando protesters on trespass charges

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ORLANDO, Fla | Sat Oct 22, 2011 7:07pm EDT

ORLANDO, Fla (Reuters) - Police arrested 19 anti-Wall Street protesters in Orlando before dawn on Saturday on trespass charges for sitting in a city park after hours despite warnings to leave, police said.

Orlando Police Lieutenant Timothy Crews said police warned members of the Occupy Orlando group several times they would be arrested if they refused to leave the park when it closed. But protesters chose to remain in violation of the posted hours.

"They decided to make a stand on that issue," Crews said.

Crews and Shayan Elahi, a volunteer lawyer for the group, said the protesters remained calm and peaceful.

Those arrested face a first-degree misdemeanor charge punishable by up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine.

Participants of Occupy Orlando, the local offshoot of the Occupy Wall Street movement that began in New York last month to protest against economic inequality, have maintained a vigil in downtown Orlando since last Saturday.

Elahi said an average of 50 protesters normally walk on the sidewalk in shifts overnight, which is permitted.

(Reporting by Barbara Liston; Editing by Colleen Jenkins and Cynthia Johnston)
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Comments (5)
Mizzy8s wrote:
I’d personally like to see the Orlando PD begin carpet bombing the thugs with soap and water!

Are you tired of the lawless Bonghits N’ Bolsheviks Я Us socialist thugs yet America?!!

Oct 22, 2011 7:48pm EDT  --  Report as abuse
USAWes wrote:
Amazing how quick the police are to enforce the law nationwide against the protesters! Yet, the homeless and derelicts have been breaking the same laws for years and not been arrested by the same police.

I love America, the rich can buy anyone in power!

Oct 22, 2011 7:51pm EDT  --  Report as abuse
UnPartisan wrote:
Give them $1000 fines, and a year in jail. Breaking the law should not be tolerated. They are demanding legal prosecutions of Wall Street execs who did nothing illegal, surely they should support full punishment for those who actually did break the law.

Oct 22, 2011 8:25pm EDT  --  Report as abuse
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