Perhaps I’m missing something. I am in full support of the Occupy Wall Street movement. I think it needs to continue, and to bring in more people. I am for the occupation of  Zuccatti (sp?) Park near Wall St. But I also feel that the protests at this stage would do better to follow the laws and rules.
I was motivated to write this after seeing a video of the police, politely asking the demonstrators to leave Washington Park at its closing time of midnight. The police were calm, reasonable and even sounded sympathetic to the cause. Now the protesters could have continued their protest by walking the sidewalks. Seems like that would also be a good way to keep warm.
Zucatti Park is a privately owned park that, according to reports, is required to remain open 24 hours a day. Even there – the notice to protesters said that 1/3 of the park would be shut down at a time, with the other 2/3 remaining open for use. That does not sound unreasonable. If the protesters were concerned that this would be used as a pretense to sweep the park of all protesters – then report it as such. Don’t report that the notice was closing the entire park down.

Washington Park is a public park with a regular midnight closing rule. If a special rule had been instigated in order to stop leagal protesting – then fight that. Otherwise – let’s try to cooperate where we are being treated with respect.
OK – so maybe I am naive – but I think that by following the rules, in a peaceful manner – our protest will be seen as a legitimate expression of reasoned demands. If not – we will be dismissed as an unruly mob.
On Wall St some of the police have behaved in a deplorable manner. Let’s make sure it continues to be them not us.