Occupy Atlanta Protesters Defy Mayor, Stay in Park

ATLANTA, Ga. - Protesters remained camped out at Atlanta’s Woodruff Park on Tuesday moing despite a waing from city officials that they could be arrested if they refuse to leave peacefully. Occupy Atlanta protesters have been at the park for five days as part of a growing movement that began with what is known as Occupy Wall Street in New York.

After first arriving at the park on Friday, the group set up tents over the weekend. They said they’d stay put until they see a change in their fight against corporate greed and income inequality.

Tensions rose at Woodruff Park late Monday as police lined the perimeter of the park on horseback. Atlanta has an "anti-camping" ordinance in the city, which protesters acknowledged they were breaking. Still, they said they had a right to express their views.

Occupy Atlanta protesters have been at Woodruff Park park since Friday, and they have given no indication that they plan to leave.

Candace Byrd, Chief of Staff to Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, said the mayor's office met with representatives of Occupy Atlanta around 6 p.m. Monday. At that meeting, she said she provided the group with a copy of the city ordinance indicating that all parks close in Atlanta at 11 p.m. That same ordinance was later passed out at the park.

Byrd said that police had been deployed, but that protesters were being given an opportunity to leave the park peacefully. She would not say what the consequences would be if the protesters wouldn't leave.

Many protesters said they believe in what they’re doing, and if they’re arrested as a result, it would be worth it. They gave no indication of how long they plan to remain in the park.

As of early Tuesday moing, there had been no arrests.

Occupy Atlanta Protesters Remain in Park: MyFoxATLANTA.com