The day city officials announced the reopening of City Hall Park -- closed for months after being damaged in Occupy LA -- protesters converged on the park and rechristened it “Solidarity Park.”
Over 40 people were on the south lawn doing yoga Thursday morning, accusing the mayor of hypocrisy when he used a microphone to announce the reopening of the park, despite new signs saying, “no amplified sound.”
“We’ve come back to our home base,” said Cheryl Aichele, an Occupy LA organizer. “But it’s very limiting. There’s a double standard of the brand new signs saying, 'You can’t do this -- You can’t do that' yet the Mayor does it.”
The park was still surrounded by chain-link fence, although entry points were available on all four sides.
Although Occupy LA was not mentioned during the reopening ceremony, Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck said that the park is for all people of Los Angeles and not just one particular group.
The Flint Fountain, dedicated to former U.S. Sen. Frank Putnam Flint, was restored, as were the park's other monuments. The lawn was restored, and native vegetation was planted next to the parks' trees.
Occupy LA protesters did not bring camping gear, but did arrive with protest banners.
The park around Los Angeles City Hall that has been closed since police cleared out protesters who had made the spot their camp for nearly two months during Occupy LA, has reopened after nearly $1 million in renovations.
As many as 500 men, women and children were estimated to have camped out on the City Hall lawn, some in tents and other makeshift homes, city officials said. The 60-day encampment began in October and ended Nov. 30.
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As construction crews repaired the damage, the Council considered a plan to cut hours and restrict camping at the 1.7 acre park.
The move angered participants of Occupy Los Angeles, who called for the resignation of Councilman Jose Huizar, who pitched the plan after having joined council members to initially support protesters to camp out at the site.
Some 1,400 police officers swept demonstrators off the City Hall lawn after the encampment protesting corporate practices and financial conditions in the United States.
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