Protesters clash with city council

Protesters clash with city council

Occupy Tampa members say they're still being harassed, even though they've worked to comply with the City of Tampa rules. They found themselves back at City Hall on Thursday.

"If you go to the campsite now, there are hardly any tents. We've almost completely cleared out everything, because we want to be in compliance and we don't want to be in conflict with the city," said Zoe Alif.

They've already made an agreement with the park's owner Joe Redner to leave Voice of Freedom Park by mid-September.

But they believe some city leaders are trying to get them out now.

"I would suggest and I would think the city would find it preferable that if they stop the fear mongering and witch hunt, to try to find reasons to close Voice of Freedom Park and Romneyville, it'll be a place that all these protestors can peacefully assemble," said Nathan Pim with the Occupy movement.

The issue is the health and compliance of the members of Occupy. A petition was circulated by West Tampa residents and business owners. They complained of no electricity or hot water at the park, as protestors cooked meals there, and they said there was only one port-o-let for the dozens of people who stayed there.

Council member Frank Reddick was the most outspoken against the Occupy group, saying those who live around there shouldn't have to deal with it.

"These are residential people, taxpaying people in that community. They do have the right to live in that community and not be annoyed by this foolishness," he said.

Reddick said he's heard that upwards of 3,000 to 5,000 people will be at the park during the RNC. The protestors say that may be how many show up over a two-week time. But they say they are only expecting a few hundred at any given time.

Some council members said all of this talk is wasting their time, since the group has already agreed to move on.

"I don't want to see this city spending any more time and money, including our time here, going after people who are really trying to do something about the inequities we're all facing right now, " said Mary Mulhern.

The city's attorney told them all they can do is give the group a citation for the tents, which code enforcement did on August 14th. But the citation gives them 21 days to remove them after the RNC is over.

Redner said he thought he was doing the city a favor by offering the protestors a place to camp that wasn't on city property.

He says he hasn't had any problems with those at the park and thinks Councilman Reddick is pointing at them, as the sole problem.

"Any park in the City of Tampa during the convention is going to be inundated with people and it has nothing to do with me. It's the nature of the beast. Why he's blaming me or Occupy for it, I have no idea," Redner said.

But the Occupy group can stay until September, and it appears there's nothing the city can do to stop it.