Occupy SF remains nervous about possible raid

SAN FRANCISCO

Police have already removed the tents outside 101 Market Street and the protesters know that police could raid their camp at any time.

"We're in a kind of detente and we don't know when raids are going to happen and therefore we have to do a lot of preparation every day for them," protester Meaghan Moroney said.

The anticipation of a police raid is always on the minds of those here. The early occupiers still remember October 16, when police took down their tents.

There is now frustration and anxiety in the encampment. The last meeting with Mayor Ed Lee was a week ago and there are no more scheduled. But the dialogue continues with city officials like Public Works Director Mohammed Nuru, who inspected the camp last week.

Supervisor David Campos co-authored a resolution to support the movement. The bill also asks the city not to use force against the occupiers. He says the dialogue is critical.

"It's one of the reasons why you haven't seen the kind of police action in San Francisco that has taken place in other parts of the country," Campos said.

The mayor is still looking for some place where protesters can relocate their camp. If he does find a new venue, protesters like Moroney say they should consider the option.

"We're happy to discuss with the mayor different options, but in the end it needs to be a place that we're happy with and also make sense for our movement," Moroney said.

In the meantime, the occupiers plan to celebrate Thanksgiving at Justin Herman Plaza.

"I'm going to be here; a lot of kind of churches and other groups said they're going to bring us hot meals, so I'm going to help serve some of the hot meals and just be here as kind of a general presence," Moroney said.

Some protesters say that they are no longer storing their personal belongings at the camp because of the possibility of a raid.

Lee said last week that the costs incurred by the city because of Occupy SF is roughly around $650,000.

Occupy protesters planned to hold a solidarity march Tuesday evening in response to the protests taking place in Egypt.

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