OCCUPY CLEVELAND!

(click photo to enlarge)

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  First night down to visit the "occupiers."
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  They Occupied Freedom Park home of Oldenberg's "Free Stamp, until they were told to leave. At the point the police, helped march them to Public Square where they had been given a permit to camp until October 21. Why they were not allowed to stay there makes even less sense then the protesters just staying there and occupying it.
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  Small crowd, but all were working their phones to get more down there.
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  Stylized image Oct 8, 8pm
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  At the campground on Public Square.
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  The crowd that night.
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  Nadhal Eadeh interviewing one of the spokespeople for the movemement.
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  Occupy, next morning!
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  October 21. The night the "rumor" of police sweeping in to arrest protesters.
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  Seems happening Anastasia Pantsios seen here photogrpahing a spokes person for Cleveland's Mayor Frank Jackson.
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  Anastasia working!
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  Anastasia Pantsios
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  It would seem Grover Cleveland has found a friend in the protests.
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  Protesters line up in rings to protect each other with "Hell No! We Won't Go!" and chants of solidarity, and dedication to the occupation.
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  Lakewoodite Mike Hoffamn shotting photos of the event. Media and police, equaled the number of protesters.
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  Police cars, paddy wagons, ambulances and even game wardens circled the square in an overwhelming show of strength. Well kind of.
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  The croed of prortesters tighten the circles, ready for the police action.
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  The police move into the square, warning people to stay away and "do not surround us."
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  This shows the other side of the park with photographers. Here Eric Leiser is seen filming his documentry on the movement.
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  The media moves in on anyone willing to talk.
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  These are not the protesters. This is the crowd of onlookers, and media.
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  Back to the protesters.
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  At the very center of the crowd were ten protesters with arms locked. Each with a "shadow." To the left is Lakewood's Sam Phillips, or Liberation Brew TV.
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  While one could wonder if they were ready for what was to follow...
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  Shadows with hands raised assured me they were.
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  Urban Farmer, organizer and activist Timothy Smith addresses the group.
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  Sam and Mike going media on the group.
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  People shooting and filming were everywhere.
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  Sam with his weapon of choice.
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  Meanwhile the entire park had been cleared out. Except for the 10, and there shadows and people with real press credentials. Here the police and Tim explain what was going to happen.
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  The police move in gently, and with great caution.
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  People photographing and streaming everything. You kids talking about the power of the camera keeping the "police state" honest.
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  Behind this blogger were SWAT, and the paddy wagons.
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  And then the first arrest. Everyone was calm, except the protesters. Who kept asking "How can you arrest your brothers?" and yelling "Police State!"
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  Then the second gets carried out.
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  Shawn Louis Cresante looking good for the protest.
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  Shawn Louis Cresante dressed for the riot.
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  Suzanne Stratford from Fox-8 News wades into the crowd and does her usual good job of pulling out information and angles.
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  oooooooopppppps here come another arrest!
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  Back at the paddy wagon everyone is fiming with their telephones.
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  After Susan finished talking with him, I grabbed him for a shot. He shows me his shirt signed by many of the fellow protesters.
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  And now they walk a Grandmother out of the circle.
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  Really arresting grandmothers!
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  Eric and Rob film the interview of Frank's eyes.
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  And here comes another arrest!
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  WOW look at this crowd, what could be causing this?
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  Well it's Suzanne Stratford, talking with Frank Jackson's eyes for the evening.
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  Then I get a call from one of our spotters that the Police Chaplin is over at the Old Stone Church, and I go over to talk with him. Champlin Clinton Scaggs explains to me that he is there to protect his church (He is a member of the board), and as we talk he asks how many were arrested. I said 10 I think, then suddenly another gets loaded into the paddy wagon. He turns and says, oh now, we had a deal to only arrest 10! Later I learned that the police had made a deal to arrest ten, and that booking, bond, and release would all happen within an hour. Normally a person would have to sit in the county jail until Monday. Hmmmmmmm seems like a nice deal.
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  With the 10th being arrested the police prepare to pack up.
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  And after the protestors are told by the police where the Justice Center is, they go to march on the Justice Center!
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  Meanwhile back at the park, Police tape is coming down.
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  Organizer Tim Smith stayed behind to conrinue the plans.
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  Tim addresses the media.
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  Councilman Brian J. Cummins and supporter of the movement stopped to talk with friends.
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  Brian and Tim pose for a photo after a hard night of rioting.
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  Meanwhile over at the Justice Center the crowd marched around and around.
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  It was interesting to think back to the crowd...
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  This is a panorama shot from the very center of the melee. Police and SWAT on one side, shouting protesters on the other.
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  Next morning, everyone was gone...
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  A bike, some skids...
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  A pile of garbage...
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  Well I wonder what happened?
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  It was about when I stopped to take this photo at Edgewater Park that I got the call - Big Occupy March at 9am - I had just left at 8:30am. Hmmmmmmmmmm guess it is time for breakfast, and then ?
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  Panorama Shot

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  Hard to tell if the Occupy Cleveland is gaining momentum.