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Brookfield Office Properties put off a clean-up and supporters of the protesters streamed into the New York park in the morning darkness today, forming a crowd of several hundred chanting people.
Chanting 'Hell no! We won't go!', hundreds of demonstrators stormed a Wall Street restaurant last night to confront New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg over a planned clean-up of their camp.
Defiant: On Thursday night, protesters confronted New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg at a gala dinner at Cipriani's on Wall Street chanting 'Hell No! We won't go!'
Divisive: Demonstrators had said they would not be going anywhere on Friday morning when Zuccotti Park is schedule to be cleaned, setting the stage for a showdown with police
Jubilant scenes are being witnessed this morning at the Occupy Wall Street protest camp after a planned 'eviction' was postponed following a last-minute change of mind by the park's owners.
Brookfield Office Properties put off a clean-up and supporters of the protesters streamed into the New York park in the morning darkness today, forming a crowd of several hundred chanting people.
Chanting 'Hell no! We won't go!', hundreds of demonstrators stormed a Wall Street restaurant last night to confront New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg over a planned clean-up of their camp.
Protesters last night surrounded Cipriani restaurant in Manhattan as the Mayor was at dinner in an effort to hand him a petition with 310,000 signatures supporting their right to remain in Zuccotti Park.
Their anger was triggered by the Mayor's endorsement of a planned clean-up of the 'unsanitary' Occupy Wall Street encampment which was postponed at the last minute today.
The city's deputy mayor made the announcement after protesters, who viewed the clean-up as an 'eviction notice', streamed into the plaza this morning.
No showdown tonight: New York Mayor City Michael Bloomberg did not come out of the restaurant to address protesters, instead leaving out of a back door
The city's deputy mayor made the announcement after protesters, who viewed the clean-up as an 'eviction notice', streamed into the plaza this morning.
New York City officials have ordered Wall Street protesters to clear their sleeping bags and tarps from the park where they started a movement that has spread around the globe and forced CEOs and presidential candidates to take notice.
But demonstrators said they wouldn't be going anywhere, setting the stage for a dawn showdown with police.
The owner of the private park where the demonstrators have camped out for nearly a month said it has become trashed and 'unsanitary'. Brookfield Office Properties had planned to begin a section-by-section power-washing of Zuccotti Park at 7am.
Rebellion: The march came one day after Bloomberg informed protesters that they would have to leave the park so that it could be 'cleaned'
Support: The protesters attempted to deliver to Bloomberg a petition with 310,000 signatures supporting the Occupy Wall Street protest and their right to stay in the park
Occupy Wall Street spokesman Patrick Bruner sent an email to supporters on Thursday asking them to join the protesters at 6am Friday to 'defend the occupation from eviction', wary that the clean-up effort is a dirty trick to end their demonstrations.
He said Brookfield Properties, the owner of the park, asked for police assistance to clear it of protesters so that it could be cleaned.
Deputy Mayor Cas Holloway said in a statement Wednesday that the protest has 'created unsanitary conditions and considerable wear and tear on' Zuccotti Park.
The cleaning was to be done in stages, and protesters were permitted to return to the park after cleaners were finished.
Call to action: The mayor refused to come out of the posh restaurant to meet them and, instead, slipped out the back door
Police presence: The NYPD came out in large numbers as hundreds of demonstrators stormed the streets
However, NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly told the New York Post on Thursday that returning protesters will be prohibited from bringing tents, sleeping bags with them.
He said the demonstrators were notified of the new policy through pamphlets that were passed out to them by police officers.
The notice lists regulations including no tents, no tarps or sleeping bags on the ground, no lying on benches and no storage of personal property on the ground.
All those practices have been common at the park, where protesters have lived, slept and eaten for nearly a month.
Mayor Bloomberg visited the protesters Wednesday to offer assurances - but he didn't stay long.
Foul: Protesters are being told to vacate Ducotti Park on Friday because the demonstrators have caused 'unsanitary conditions and considerable wear and tear'
Clean-up: Protesters at Zuccotti Park were given a letter that the park needs to be cleaned on Friday
Packing it in: Occupy Wall Street demonstrators started cleaning up their belongings today after Mayor Bloomberg told protestors that the park needs to be cleaned
Luke Richardson, a 25-year-old protester, told the New York Daily News: '
I think we did the right thing - we booed him out of here.'Tyler Combelic, a member of the press relations work group for Occupy Wall Street, told CNN: '
I'm glad that [Bloomberg] finally found what we were doing important enough to visit after dismissing it for several weeks.'Mr Combelic added:
'I'm hoping that the city will be willing to work with the Occupy Wall Street occupiers in arranging a way to get the cleaning done, which both does not disturb the encampment nor does it too greatly impede on the cleaning process.'But Allison Esso of Human Services Council, a group that supports the protesters, was wary.
Clean-up: Brookfield Properties has asked for police assistance to clear Zuccotti Park of protesters so it can be cleaned
She said: 'I'm hoping that they're not trying to undermine their ability to protest.'
The protest, known as Occupy Wall Street, has sympathetic groups in other cities which each stage their own local rallies and demonstrations: Occupy Boston, Occupy Cincinnati, Occupy Houston, Occupy Los Angeles, Occupy Philadelphia, Occupy Providence, Occupy Salt Lake, and Occupy Seattle, among them.
The movement is even spreading across the pond.
UK protesters inspired by Occupy Wall Street in the U.S are planning to establish a tent city in London's financial district this weekend.
Anger at the capital: An Occupy DC protester is arrested after disrupting a Congressional hearing with Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta
Scuffle: Police arrest marchers from Occupy Wall Street, during a protest near JPMorgan Chase bank headquarters last night in New York
Taken down: A demonstrator with Occupy Wall Street is arrested during a march near the financial district in New York yesterday
A Facebook page titled 'Occupy London's Stock Exchange' has amassed more than 3,000 people agreeing to attend the event on October 15.
The group, who were behind a protest that saw Westminster Bridge closed on Monday posted on the social networking site that they are 'part of a global popular movement.'
A post under the name 'Occupy The London Stock Exchange' said: 'Hundreds attended the General Assembly and we are growing stronger every day!
The movement has also drawn reaction from world leaders, including President Obama, former Polish President Lech Walesa and Iran's Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Walesa said Thursday that he supports the New York protest and is planning to either visit or write a letter to the protesters.
He said the global economic crisis has made people aware that 'we need to change the capitalist system' because we need 'more justice, more people's interests, and less money for money's sake.'
Khamenei said Wednesday that the wave of protests reflects a serious problem that will ultimately topple capitalism in America.
Talking: A demonstrator with Occupy Wall Street protests scuffles with a police officer during the march yesterday
Suspicious: Some Wall Street protesters are hoping that the clean-up is not an attempt to undermine their efforts
He claimed the United States is in a full-blown crisis because its 'corrupt foundation has been exposed to the American people.'
Khamenei's remarks came a day after U.S. officials said the Obama administration plans to leverage charges that Iran plotted to assassinate Saudi Arabia's ambassador into a new global campaign to isolate the Islamic republic.
Protesters busted: Eight people have been arrested in Portland, Oregon, as Occupy Wall Street protests spread to the Northwest
Protesters busted: Eight people have been arrested in Portland, Oregon, as Occupy Wall Street protests spread to the Northwest
On Wednesday, police arrested four people outside JP Morgan Chase offices where Wall Street protesters called in vain for a meeting with Chairman and CEO Jamie Dimon. Protesters accused the police of rough handling.
An Associated Press photographer witnessed police officers heading into the crowd of demonstrators to make the arrests.
Meanwhile, about 700 members of the Service Employees International Union marched through the Financial District; the union, which represents 23,000 office cleaners, is gearing up for contract negotiations with the Realty Advisory Board.
More protests are planned in Toronto and Vancouver this weekend, and European activists also are organizing.
Meanwhile, a lawyer for a woman pepper-sprayed during an action last month is demanding that the Manhattan district attorney prosecute an NYPD deputy inspector on an assault charge.
Commissioner Raymond Kelly said the matter was being investigated by police internal affairs and the Civilian Complaint Review Board.
Going nowhere: Occupy Wall Street members sit on the ground after being arrested during a protest march at the JP Morgan Chase Bank tower near Wall Street yesterday
Busted: Occupy Wall Street protests continued today in New York City, with more protesters getting arrested
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