Occupy Wall Street News Update of the Day: A tense standoff between police and Occupy Wall Street protesters was quickly defused as word came down from Deputy Mayor Cas Holloway that Brookfield Properties, owners of Zuccotti Park, have postponed the park cleaning that would have forced demonstrators to leave, and withdrawn their request “for police assistance during their cleaning operation.”
Holloway’s statement continues:
Brookfield believes they can work out an arrangement with the protesters that will ensure the park remains clean, safe, available for public use and that the situation is respectful of residents and businesses downtown, and we will continue to monitor the situation.
Earlier, music industry mogul Russell Simmons had offered to pay out of pocket for the clean-up of the park, but had not received a response from the mayor’s office.
After word of the postponement reached protesters, an impromptu “peaceful victory march” toward Wall Street was quickly organized. According to reports, several have been arrested along the route, though no word as to why.
The protesters eventually turned around as word spread that the park would be taken over in the absence.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Brookfield could possibly move forward with the cleaning project in a couple of days, though may have to do so without help from the NYPD.
[@ap / breakingnews / nydn / photo: reuters.]
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