The pigeons have reclaimed Frank Ogawa Plaza as their own. One day after an army of police moved in and cleared out more than 150 tents and hundreds of campers, the space is open again to the public, although what used to be the lawn is hardly fit for humans.
"I think if the people was fair, if it was peaceful, they should've let the people stay down here; they should've let them stay, it was a peaceful thing," Oakland resident Donnie Maurice Powell said.
At the same time, the tent city at Snow Park near Lake Merritt is growing. Monday, there were about 30 tents, but by Tuesday afternoon, the number had grown to 60.
Police plan to move there too at some point, but for the time being, police are monitoring the encampment. So far, demonstrators seem unmoved by the city's pleas for them to leave.
Oakland City Councilmember Jane Brunner believes it's time for Oakland to move past the encampments, without abandoning the Occupy Wall Street movement.
"I think this movement is going to continue because its hit its core across the country; it needs to mature, it needs some leaders, it needs a platform," Brunner said.
Chamber of Commerce President Joe Haraburda says now Oakland can get on with the business of generating business.
"To simply get back on track, take a buddy to lunch, go and buy something and get into the pattern of doing what we used to do before we had an encampment here," Haraburda said.
As for the plaza, there are about a dozen police in the area making sure no one pitches a tent. There is also a lone demonstrator up in a tree.
