Occupy protesters evicted from Joe Redner's park

Occupy protesters who set up camp at a West Tampa park have been told they have to leave.

Freedom Park is owned by Joe Redner, who told the Tampa City Council today that he has evicted the protesters.

"I've given Occupy until Sept 15th to vacate the park," Redner said.

Redner allowed the Occupiers to stay on his property after they were pushed out of Curtis Hixon Park in downtown Tampa six months ago.

Redner says he believes in the Occupier's right to protest, but recently he's had a change of heart.

"I did see a report that crime has increased around there, and the reason I built the park in the first place 12 years ago was to shut down the drug hole," Redner said.

Occupier Mark Buckley has no problem packing up and leaving.

"It's time to move on and go after the Democrats," Buckley said.

Bert Brown runs security at The Station Bar right across the street from Freedom Park. He says the protesters have been peaceful.

"They always treat us with respect and we treat them with respect," Buckley said.

But Mike Vannetta, with Old West Tampa Crime Watch, is glad to see the occupiers go. He's been fighting for months to kick the group out.

Vannetta worries the camp will be invaded by anarchist groups, like the Black Bloc.

"These violent people come over to make a statement and I'm not looking forward to that," Vannetta said.

Redner is aware of that possibility, and says the Black Bloc and other trouble makers are not welcome at his park.

"I feel like I do not want people that destroy other people's property on my property. I do not want that," Redner said.