InTheCapital

By Carl Pierre / @carlpierre

It was bound to occur, we were all waiting for it, and it finally happened: the clash between Occupy DC and the DC Police Department.

The first of many clashes between Occupy DC participants and police occurred today when an Occupier from the McPherson Square camp got into an altercation with DC Police. The suspect attempted to block a transport van being used by National Park Services and the DCPD to prepare for the camp’s Monday eviction. The person had to be subdued with a taser and taken away into custody after the altercation. Tensions between protesters and law enforcement have slowly been rising since National Park Services were ordered by a congressional oversight sub-committee to evict the Occupiers from the McPherson Square and Freedom Plaza camp locations. For the past two days, NPS and DCPD have been walking through the camp handing out fliers to give the protesters notice that come Monday, they will all have to vacate the camp or be forcibly evicted.

As Monday quickly approaches and the number of law enforcement officials surrounding the camp continues to grow, the atmosphere around both camps warn of an eventual confrontation. If today’s arrest was indicative as to how this eviction process will turn out, DCPD and NPS may want to invest in more officers and more handcuffs.

[image via panafricannews]