Occupy Tampa Movement Marches on City Hall

To chants of “Banks got bailed out. We got sold out,” Occupy Tampa protesters marched from their encampment at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park to Tampa City Hall today, Oct. 20. The group created an overflow crowd of more than 100 people during the City Council meeting, with citizens lining the halls throughout the building.

“This is not just a protest,” said Tim Summers, of Dade City. “This is a movement.”

The Occupy Tampa group is aligned with Occupy Wall Street, a movement that has spread to cities throughout the country and the world. Although the demonstrations have adopted many themes, the primary focus is on inequality of wealth.

“We are all brought together by frustration with corruption in our banking system and perpetual war,” said Jordan Harrah, a Hillsborough Community College student taking part in the protest.

The protesters attended the City Council meeting to address the issue of their overnight stays at Curtis Hixon Park. The demonstration has been taking place 24 hours a day since Oct. 9. The Tampa Police Department has allowed demonstrators to sleep on a section of the sidewalk during the hours of 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Though there have been no arrests, the Occupy Tampa participants have complained of police harassment. This morning, according to witnesses, several protesters defied officers' orders to break camp at 6 a.m. The police backed down.

Bobby Ali, a Tampa resident, told City Council that citizens had the Constitutional right to speak and assemble at any time, and that the city's ordinance against sleeping in public should not apply to the demonstration.

“Sleeping is not what we're doing,” Ali said. “We are there to protest."

Council chambers appeared to contain mostly supporters of the movement, who silently fluttered their fingers to indicate their agreement with speakers. One citizen, however, expressed concern about the protests, saying that he had tried to take his children to Glazer Children's Museum and was disturbed by the noisy demonstration.

No Arrests Made

Capt. Brian Dugan, the Tampa Police Department incident commander for Occupy Tampa, said that despite noise complaints from neighbors, police had made no arrests since the beginning of the demonstration.

"We don't arrest protesters," Dugan said.  "We arrest lawbreakers."

Councilman Frank Reddick had requested Dugan's presence to report on how the police were handling the ongoing protest.

"I do want to thank TPD for accommodating Occupy Tampa," Reddick said.

Councilwoman Mary Mulhern said that she spoke to demonstrators Wednesday night, and she was concerned about police using a city ordinance against placing objects such as tables on the sidewalk, to force protesters to move.

"I'm not a lawyer," said Mulhern.  "But ... people aren't tables."

Captain Dugan said that the police had taken a liberal approach to the protest, but that free speech has its limits, and does not include the right to sleep in public.

"Unless you talk in your sleep, I'm not sure that applies," he said.

Councilwoman Mulhern broached the subject of opening up city parks to overnight demonstrators.  Councilman Harry Cohen said he would not support such a change, saying that the lack of arrests "is a sign that this strategy is working."  Councilwoman Yvonne Capin said she anticipated large demonstrations during the Republican National Convention in August 2012 and suggested opening up a parking garage for protesters to sleep in.

Protesters Staying Put

Back at Hixon Park, the protesters appeared to be settling in for the long haul, equipped with sleeping bags, food and water, and signs that they displayed to passing motorists. Most passersby were supportive, honking and giving the thumbs-up sign, though one motorist asked the protesters, “Why don't you think about getting a job?”

“Scott,” a Tampa resident who declined to give his last name, stood impassively with a sign reading, “We're still here.”

“People want to talk about what's wrong,” he said. “So let's sit for a month or a year or two years and talk about this.”

Scott said that attempts by police to curtail the demonstration had only increased his resolve.

“We have the Constitution and we're allowed to be here. I'm out here fighting for my right to sit and discuss what's wrong,” he said. “We shouldn't have to fight for that.”