Dozens
of protesters in Austin, Texas, and Portland, Oregon, were arrested
over the weekend for allegedly failing to comply with rules in each
city. The protests were among many held across the country since
September by demonstrators who say they are angry over economic
inequality and what they see as Wall Street greed. At Occupy Austin,
some 38 people were arrested on Saturday night and early Sunday after
refusing to let police take down food tables and clean the City Hall
plaza where they had camped for several weeks. They were charged with
criminal trespass and issued citations that mean they can’t return to
the protest site. In Portland, protesters’ attempt to extend their
occupation to a third city park in an upscale downtown neighborhood was
broken up by police early yesterday morning. Some 25 protesters were
arrested on charges related to rules about use of the park. Protesters
at the Nashville, Tennessee, Occupy encampment were spared a curfew
check on Saturday night after more than 50 arrests last week over curfew
violations. They were released after a court official said there were
no grounds for charges.
