Protesters: Two arrested in Occupy event

Philadelphia Police arrest a occupy protester near City Hall on Sunday, January 29, 2012. (Yong Kim / Staff Photographer)
Philadelphia Police arrest a occupy protester near City Hall on Sunday, January 29, 2012. (Yong Kim / Staff Photographer)
Posted: January 30, 2012

Organizers of an Occupy Philadelphia rally and march in Center City said their protest Sunday evening ended in two arrests outside City Hall after participants tore down a construction fence around Dilworth Plaza - the same public space the group occupied for about seven weeks this fall.

City police officials were unavailable for comment.

The Philadelphia protest was one of several around the country Sunday called to voice solidarity with Occupy protesters in Oakland, Calif., whose confrontations with police this weekend resulted in about 400 arrests.

"Oakland police responded to Occupy with tear gas, rubber bullets, beanbag rounds, and mass arrests," Occupy Philadelphia said in a news release announcing its attention to rally in Love Park and declare the area a "Police Free Zone."

Shawn McMonigle, of Fishtown, said the rally and march through Center City proceeded peacefully until the protesters returned to Dilworth Plaza, which the city had declared off-limits to the group because of a long-planned $50 million redevelopment project.

"Dilworth Plaza represents the situation around America where private interests hold sway over public interests," McMonigle said. "It's always profit over people, and it should be the other way around."

Vanessa Maria, of East Falls, said the arrests occurred when police confronted protesters with batons, triggering a melee in which she said two people were knocked down. "They got all their batons to intimidate us," Maria said.

- Jeff Gelles

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