A-Infos (en) US, Washington, Media, They’re baaaaack! Occupiers retake McPherson Square

Nancy Munoz, 30, of the District, sets up banners in McPherson Square Thursday as Occupy 
D.C. returns to McPherson Square just days after they decided to leave the federally owned 
park June 10. ---- Members of the local Occupy D.C. movement returned to McPherson Square 
on Thursday afternoon, setting up fresh tents in the newly seeded grass just days after 
the group had decided to vacate the federally-owned park for good. ---- About thirty or so 
protesters gathered in the hot sun in the square, hanging banners, erecting tents and 
setting up the group’s old library of leftist tomes with milk crates and bookshelves. A 
sign said “Occupy DC Here to Stay.” ---- After vacating McPherson Square on June 10, 
Occupy protesters say they’re back for good. Take a look back at Occupy D.C.’s long 
encampment.

They were joined by a group called the Anarchist DC Alliance Network and several other 
members of Occupy camps from San Francisco and elsewhere, who are stopping in town on way 
to a national Occupy meeting in Philadelphia on July 4.

Protester Nancy Munoz, of the District, said that they had returned to the park for an 
ongoing protest and handed out pamphlets that said, “Action: Restoring McPherson Square 
The Occupation Will Not Move!”

“We are committed to stay here and educate the public about capitalism, exploitation and, 
most of all, the importance of reclaiming public space,” Munoz said.

Dozens of protesters had lived in the square for a contentious four months during the fall 
and winter months before the U.S. Park Police staged a high-profile raid on Feb. 4, 
clearing the space of overnight campers. After that, protesters maintained a few symbolic 
“vigil” tents — permitted by the Park Service — until June 10, when the group finally 
broke camp, cleaned up their trash and departed.

Munoz said she did not know if the group would try and sleep in their tents this evening, 
which would be a violation of the Park Service’s no-camping regulations.

“Stay tuned,” she said.

Across the street, staff members at Georgia Brown’s restaurant — who had endured weeks of 
noise, rats and crowds during the winter protest — watched the goings-on from the 
restaurant’s terrace with barely disguised dismay. “They’re reoccupying!” one woman said 
frantically, into her cellphone.
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