‘Occupy’ Permit Runs Out For Protesters In San Jacinto Plaza

On October 17th, the city gave El Paso’s “occupy” protesters a permit to protest in San Jacinto Plaza but Sunday at noon, their time ran out.

These “occupiers” don’t know if they’ll be allowed to stay, or if they’ll have to move to another location. One thing’s for sure, you can’t stay at a public park past it’s closing without a permit.

“I would like to see the city stand in solidarity with the global movement,” said “occupier” Nubia Legardae. She doesn’t plan on giving up a place to protest without a fight.

“We may not be able to occupy there, which is not cool, since we’ve been planning this since we started occupying,” said Legardae.

According to Legardae, the city hasn’t made much of an effort to help protesters secure a new spot.

“The city has been giving us the run around,” insisted Legardae. “They had mentioned that maybe they would give us Cleveland Square.”

With no permit and no place to go, protesters worry they may get escorted out of San Jacinto Plaza in handcuffs.

“We’re assembling peacefully. We mean no trouble. I don’t see why they should arrest us, but that is a possibility,” said Legardae.

While an EPPD spokesman said they aren’t planning on making arrests overnight, “occupy” camps all over the country, from Portland to Philly, are seeing an increase in police presence.

But Legardae said she plans to stick it out no matter what.

While police told ABC7 they don’t plan on arresting an arresting anybody, they said protesters can be cited for being in the park after hours.

An El Paso Parks and Recreation spokesman said San Jacinto Plaza officially shuts down at 1 a.m.

The “Occupy El Paso” facebook page posted a call for a, “peaceful act of civil disobedience” Monday 1 a.m. in San Jacinto Plaza