PRESS RELEASE: OCCUPY TAMPA / CALL TO OCCUPY EN MASSE 10/15/11

Contact: Media Team
Email: media@occupytampa.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TAMPA POLICE ATTEMPT TO DISPLACE OCCUPY TAMPA PROTESTERS
As many as six squad cars responding

Tampa, FL (October 11, 2011) - At approx. 8:50PM EST the Tampa Police Department has told the protesters that they may no longer sleep on the sidewalk. Their initial response to the occupation was to inform the protesters that they could sleep on the sidewalk, provided that they were not within 3’ of the curb and they left a 4’ walking path. This response is unusual and is being investigated by legal. As of 9:15 a representative from legal was on the ground interacting with the Tampa Police.

This is a strange turn of events for the Tampa Police, who have been very gracious hosts for Occupy Tampa up to this point. Occupy Tampa’s “Stop the Machine” rally was the largest activist gathering in the Southeast in over a decade. The TBGA is a group of citizens trying to exercise their First Amendment right to peacefully assemble. Throughout the nation police departments are engaging in increasingly hostile tactics to intimidate, divide and disperse Occupations.

Occupy Tampa is calling on all occupations, around state and nation, to flood Downtown Tampa on October 15th and prepare to stay indefinitely. If you can arrive sooner, we would love to have you. Everyone is welcome to help us stay and present our case to Mayor Buckhorn that we are a peaceful assembly who will do anything to remain where we are in solidarity with national movements and in the hopes of achieving a greater purpose of returning our country to a nation Of the People, By the People.

Please refer to our website for a list of up-to-date needs, more information about the occupation and livestreams from Tampa.

All are welcome. None will be turned away. Non-violence is paramount, but We the People Will Not Be Moved.

This is our time Tampa. Stand strong, stand united. Stay camped.