Update: Four Arrested as Police Arrive after Eviction Deadline Passes for Occupy Little Rock
By: KARK 4 News
Updated: May 16, 2012
Update (3:25 p.m. Wednesday):
Police release names of those arrested at the site (left to right above).
Update (2:25 p.m. Wednesday):
Little Rock Police have arrested four Occupy Little Rock activists. One of them is chief organizer Greg Deckleman. Around two dozen officers specially trained in riot control arrived at the encampment site at 4th & Ferry streets around 1:30pm.
Police Chief Stuart Thomas sat down with four protesters and asked them to leave. Hours earlier Deckleman told KARK that if he was arrested he would file a federal lawsuit arguing the police and the city are violating his first amendment right.
After the arrests, police began taking down what was left of the encampment.
Update (1:45 p.m. Wednesday):
Little Rock Police Chief Stuart Thomas arrives on the scene after barricades go up.
Update (1:30 p.m. Wednesday):
Police have arrived at the encampment site and are putting up barricades.
Original Story (12:30 p.m. Wednesday):
The eviction deadline passed at seven o'clock this morning for Occupy Little Rock.
By noon today, most of the encampment had been taken down.
The group was expected to be forced off a parking lot at 4th and Ferry streets downtown by police.
Arrests were also expected.
As of 12:30 this afternoon, no police officers had shown up and many of the "occupiers" were still
there.
Key organizer Greg Deckleman vows to sue if he is arrested. Deckleman says he is exercising his 1st Amendment rights.
Occupy Little Rock was told to vacate the parking lot by today so that it can be used for parking when Riverfest takes over downtown over the Memorial Day weekend.
KARK 4 News is at the scene following developments. We'll update this story when more information comes into the newsroom.
Police release names of those arrested at the site (left to right above).
- Amy Cicirello, 48, of Little Rock
- Greg Deckleman, 57, of Cabot
- Glen Miller, 54, of North Little Rock
- Jennifer Pierce, 27, of Bryant
Update (2:25 p.m. Wednesday):
Little Rock Police have arrested four Occupy Little Rock activists. One of them is chief organizer Greg Deckleman. Around two dozen officers specially trained in riot control arrived at the encampment site at 4th & Ferry streets around 1:30pm.
Police Chief Stuart Thomas sat down with four protesters and asked them to leave. Hours earlier Deckleman told KARK that if he was arrested he would file a federal lawsuit arguing the police and the city are violating his first amendment right.
After the arrests, police began taking down what was left of the encampment.
Update (1:45 p.m. Wednesday):
Little Rock Police Chief Stuart Thomas arrives on the scene after barricades go up.
Update (1:30 p.m. Wednesday):
Police have arrived at the encampment site and are putting up barricades.
Original Story (12:30 p.m. Wednesday):
The eviction deadline passed at seven o'clock this morning for Occupy Little Rock.
By noon today, most of the encampment had been taken down.
The group was expected to be forced off a parking lot at 4th and Ferry streets downtown by police.
Arrests were also expected.
As of 12:30 this afternoon, no police officers had shown up and many of the "occupiers" were still
there.
Key organizer Greg Deckleman vows to sue if he is arrested. Deckleman says he is exercising his 1st Amendment rights.
Occupy Little Rock was told to vacate the parking lot by today so that it can be used for parking when Riverfest takes over downtown over the Memorial Day weekend.
KARK 4 News is at the scene following developments. We'll update this story when more information comes into the newsroom.
