MAYOR ANTONIO R. VILLARAIGOSA
CITY OF LOS ANGELES
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NOVEMBER 27, 2011
 
CONTACT:
Peter Sanders
Teddy Davis
(213) 978-0741
 
MAYOR VILLARAIGOSA ISSUES STATEMENT ON UPCOMING CLOSURE OF CITY HALL
PARK
 

LOS ANGELES – Mayor Villaraigosa released the following statement
today on the closure of City Hall Park:

 

“As I stated this past Friday, it is time for Occupy LA to move from
focusing their efforts to hold a particular patch of parkland to
spreading the message of economic justice and a restoration of balance
to American society.

 

That is why tonight, City Hall Park, where protesters and others have
camped for nearly 60 days, will officially close.

 

While Occupy LA has brought needed attention to the economic
disparities in our country, an encampment on City Hall grounds is simply
not sustainable indefinitely. We will close and rebuild the park so that
any individual will have the opportunity to use this free speech zone to
exercise their first amendment rights at City Hall.

 

During the park rehabilitation, the Spring Street steps of City Hall
will remain open during park hours for the Occupy LA movement and other
organizations that wish to exercise their freedom of speech.

 

As Chief Beck has made clear, though the park will officially close
tonight at 12:01 a.m., the department will allow campers ample time to
remove their belongings peacefully and without disruption.

 

I am proud of the fact that this has been a peaceful, non-violent
protest. It has been peaceful because we have done things differently in
Los Angeles.

 

I trust that we can manage the closure of City Hall Park in the same
spirit of cooperation. To facilitate a peaceful and orderly departure
from the park, we will take the following steps tomorrow:

 

1. Officers with General Services police will walk through the
encampment handing out bilingual flyers with information about the park
closure.

 

2. Workers from the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority will also
walk through the encampment to inform people about social and public
health services that are available.

 

3. Starting Monday, we will make 50 shelter beds available for those
individuals from the encampment who are homeless and will need an
alternate place to spend the night. Winter shelters will open Thursday,
December 1, increasing the number of beds available.

 

4. We will make nearby parking available to make it easier for people
to move their belongings and personal property. We have and will
continue to work hard to ensure that the park closure will be peaceful
and non-violent.

 

The movement has played an important role in focusing the national
conversation on economic equality. I encourage them to expand their
efforts far beyond the confines of the City Hall Park in the coming
months."