SEATTLE NEWS ARCHIVES & FEATURES
Occupy Seattle not wanted at local college
Oct 26, 2011, 3:06 PM | Updated: Oct 27, 2011, 12:22 pm
Occupy Seattle’s plan to relocate from Westlake Park to a local college campus has a problem. Seattle Central Community College does not want them on its property.
The college wrote an “open letter” to demonstrators today which states:
Camping on college property is prohibited for all individuals and groups. If this rule is violated, the college may choose to impose its own sanctions, including criminal or civil prosecution.
While supporting free speech, the college administrators are concerned the Occupy Seattle demonstrations would interfere with the “learning environment” on the Capitol Hill campus on Broadway.
The college has other events scheduled for this weekend, when Occupy Seattle was planning to move, and they regularly host a weekly farmer’s market. Out of concern for the organizations which have permits to use the campus, they are rejecting the Occupy Seattle effort to relocate.
Earlier this week, Occupy Seattle stated their reasons for wanting to move to the campus. They thought more students could participate if they were at Seattle Central, and the location is more visible than Westlake at night.
“Westlake dies nightly, empowering police. On Broadway, we’ll always be visible, and will draw support from the community,” they said before they voted 108 to 26 in favor of setting up tents beginning Saturday.
Occupy Seattle organizers met last night (Wed.) and decided to march to the college anyway.
One member tells me they are planning to occupy Seattle’s Wall Street soon. They’re planning a march on Wall Street in the Belltown neighborhood November 12 as they “demands all facets of the financial and corporate sector to responsibly hold themselves accountable and viable for the damages they have carelessly caused.
The Occupy Seattle Wall Street rally will feature Occupiers “donning their corporate costumes and protesting the mind and spirit of the corporate and financial oppressors located in Belltown proper, as well as all over the Seattle area and the country.”
