Occupy protesters say morning was ‘cat and mouse’
Occupy Wall Street protester David Scorca believes the police action will help energize the movement, not end it.
Steve Chiotakis: In New York, law enforcement moved in early this morning to clear out campers at privately-owned Zuccotti Park, saying the area needed to be cleaned. Protesters went to court to be allowed to return, and a hearing on that is scheduled sometime today.
David Scorca is a filmmaker and protester. He was around the site most of the night, and he’s with us now. Hey David.
David Scorca: How you doing?
Chiotakis: What’s it like down there right now, and as you saw a lot of these protesters moving away from Zuccotti Park?
Scorca: When I was there, the police had blocked off the area surrounding Zuccotti Park — about a three block radius. And from there, protesters were broken up into smaller groups of about 100-300 people each.
My group happened to decide to march towards City Hall, and marched to Foley Square where we were surrounded by police. And then it was kind of a cat-and-mouse chase for the rest of the night.
Chiotakis: What do you think this eviction has done to your cause? Do you think — you said people dispersed into different groups — or do you think it’s giving you more resolve?
Scorca: You know, I think that anytime the police take action against this protest — repressing free speech, things like that — it’s going to definitely bolster the movement.
Chiotakis: So now that everybody’s been cleared out of Zuccotti Park, David, what are you going to do next?
Scorca: You know, I’m hoping that every night they try to occupy a new park, or at least keep pushing to get back into Zuccotti. So I think that’s the next big move. Otherwise it’s just keeping the pressure on
Chiotakis: David Scorca is in New York and one of the protesters there at the Occupy Wall Street movement. David, thank you so much.
Scorca: Thank you.