Martin Austermuhle
Photo by philliefan99.
As Los Angeles and Philadelphia make tentative moves towards evicting Occupy campers, the National Park Service continues to turn a blind eye towards activities that it admits are illegal.
Last Wednesday, the Park Service posted notices on tents in McPherson Square and Freedom Plaza, reminding protesters that both camping and temporary structures associated with camping are against park rules. This isn’t the first time that the Park Service has pointed out that what the Occupy protesters are doing isn’t legally sound, but it also continues a trend by which police tolerate the camping that’s happening.
As time has passed, though, the encampments have become more and more established — and, according to park regulations, further in violation of the law. Some campers at the McPherson Square encampment have started erecting tarps over groups of tents, creating structures within structures.
The notice also says that Park Police will increase patrols due to concerns over “increasing problems of public urination and defecation, illegal drug and alcohol use, and assaults.”
