Despite violent confrontations between police and protesters in Oakland, Calf. and Nashville this week, things remain placid on "People's Plaza" outside Hennepin County Government Center. It's been three weeks since Occupy Minnesota began, and though numbers on many days are small, there is no indication they are about to depart anytime soon.
"We are planning to continue as long as we possibly can, indefinitely, no matter how cold it is going to get," said Osha Karow, one of the original organizers of the occupation.
Local authorities do not appear to be anxious to imitate some other cities where the protesters have been unceremoniously driven off public property, with police confrontations that have created unfavorable publicity for local governments.
Richard Johnson, Hennepin County administrator, who has been the point person on how the county will deal with Occupy MN, told me two days ago that there are no plans to clear the protesters out. He said there had been discussion within his staff about whether or not to get the protesters to consolidate their belongings, which pretty much cover the whole of the plaza.
"We want to make sure the plaza is open for everyone's use," he said. There's a lot of stuff belonging to the protesters on the plaza these days including food tables, food provision storage, lending library, medics table, media table, sign-in and information tables, and a lot of bedding.
Total costs for the protest remain approximate, but as of mid-week, the combination of overtime pay of the sheriff's office, Minneapolis Police Department and Hennepin County security staff appears to be in the neighborhood of $250,000.
Various groups continue to use the plaza as a staging ground for demonstrations.
The next protest of any sizable number is likely to be on Saturday at 11 a.m., to mark the anniversary of the famous 1929 stock market crash, which occurred on Oct. 29. There will be a rally where one of the speakers is Elliot Seide, director of AFSCME Council 6, an influential figure in the labor movement. I am told that AFSCME has been doing considerable phone banking to get people out for the event. Following a rally on the plaza, the protesters plan to march to three downtown banks to deliver fake coffins to illustrate how "corporate greed is killing us."
