Several dozen Occupy San Diego protesters remained Wednesday in the civic plaza area behind City Hall, but police said they have no plans for a sweep and hope to avoid any confrontations.
“I hope we don’t have anything like what has happened in Oakland and Chicago, or may be brewing in Los Angeles,” said Assistant Police Chief Boyd Long. “This is San Diego -- our goal is to give the protesters a location where they can protest peacefully without infringing on the rights of other people.”
Occupy Oakland demonstrators clashed with police Tuesday night, resulting in dozens of arrests as police used tear gas to disperse the crowd. Police said officers were pelted with bottles, rocks and paint.
San Diego has brought in professional mediators to act as liaisons between the police and the protesters. Some have swapped cellphone numbers with protest leaders so they can stay in touch, Long said.
In nearly a month since the Occupy San Diego movement began, two protesters were arrested for allegedly resisting police as they sought to remove tents, tarps, tables, and other structures from the plaza.
Police Chief Bill Lansdowne has said that while protesters are welcome to remain, their tents and other property has to be removed because it is blocking the right-of-way for pedestrians. In minor scuffling, police used pepper spray to subdue several of the protesters.
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