San Francisco Police Clear Occupy Encampment

    Dec. 7, 2011
    Police arrested 70 people at a downtown plaza.

    SAN FRANCISCO -- San Francisco police have dismantled the Occupy protest campsite at a downtown plaza and arrested 70 people.

    Officer Albie Esparza says more than 100 officers swept into the encampment at Justin Herman Plaza shortly after 1 a.m. Wednesday, gave campers a few minutes warning to pack up and leave, then swept in.

    About 100 tents were taken down. Esparza says the removal was mostly peaceful but one officer suffered a minor injury when two protesters threw a chair that cracked his face shield. They were arrested on suspicion of felony assault. Dozens of others were arrested for illegal lodging in the plaza and failure to disperse.

    The plaza was occupied in mid-October by campers protesting against bank bailouts and economic injustice.

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