Occupiers determined to keep protesting

AUSTIN (KXAN) - The Occupy Austin protestors say their movement is not over.
 
But police say they'll enforce new rules regarding the activity at City Hall.  Monday night Occupiers gathered to show they are united in continuing the movement.

The city says that's fine so long as they only do so between 6 am and 10 pm.

Around 10 pm Friday, police moved in and occupiers were told or forced to leave.

"We had gotten to a point where we needed to address the folks that were sleeping here at city hall the way the facility was being used and the fact that it was able to be used by anybody other than the occupiers that were  here and it is a community wide facility," said City of Austin spokesman Doug Matthews.

City leaders say they had tried to cooperate and reach reasonable compromises--but say the movement's leadership changed which led to fragmented communication.

Problems, they say included Occupiers sleeping in the Plaza, leaving bags behind all day that worried some who work in City Hall, and preventing others from using the area.

Furthermore, the city says the bill for Occupy Austin includes $800,000 for public safety, $55,000 for building maintenance and preliminarily $30,000 for repairs that must now be made.

"This is a location that's for everyone and those are expenses that are born by everyone and we've got a responsibility to protect this asset and these investments," said Matthews.

At the Austin Public Safety Commission meeting Monday, a couple Occupy Austin protestors complained about not being told they would have to leave.

"They had never until that night said anything about evicting people only structures and things at the site," said Debbie Russell.

Of the 8 people arrested that night, Russell was one of them. 

"I was arrested for asking questions. I was complying with police orders," said Russell.

She says two others were arrested for live streaming or taking pictures.

"It was chaotic and it was uncalled for and I hope you will launch an investigation into the activities of that evening and to how we can improve public safety when we're suppressing free speech rights," said Russell.

Occupiers are calling for the firing of the City Manager and Assistant City Manager and an investigation into the change of policy which led to the eviction.

The city says according to city charter, the city manager has the right to modify the rules
of use for any city facility.