Thursday, November 10, 2011
Suhm's "Very Disappointed" By Turn of Events as Occupy Dallas, City Head Back to Courthouse

The Occupiers' attorney, Jonathan Winocour, wants a judge to keep the city from booting the campers come Saturday evening. Says the request for a temporary restraining order, "harm is imminent because the City has unambiguously threatened to take action to forcibly 'evict' Plaintiffs from an area their use of which is effectively licensed through the settlement agreement." Winocour reiterates what Occupy Dallas media contact Michael Prestonise told Unfair Park yesterday, insisting the terms of the city's agreement are "ambiguous."
Winocour tells Unfair Park that "what turned this around was the letter the city decided to release Tuesday night. It was always the understanding of the Occupants that the license the city granted us was to use this public park overnight. They expanded the contours of the ordinance. It was always our understanding that was unrelated to the exercise of First Amendment rights outside the park. So if they're engaging in protest outside Bank of America or Chase, it's protected speech, and the arrests that have taken place at these public protests are entirely unrelated to the occupancy, if you like, or to the physical location behind City Hall -- the camp. The sentiment from the camp is there's an artificial linkage ... to the arrests."
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Dallas Observer
Occupy Dallas Applies For Restraining Order Against City’s Eviction Threat
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) – Occupy Dallas took their defense to the courtroom Wednesday, seeking a temporary restraining order against the city’s ultimatum that they clean up their campgrounds by Saturday at 5 p.m. or face eviction.
On Tuesday, City Manager Mary Suhm and First Assistant City Attorney Christopher Bowers sent a stern warning to the group, threatening to sever Occupy Dallas’ settlement agreement with the city if it didn’t correct a number of violations.
That settlement allows the protestors to set up an encampment in a grassy area to the south of City Hall, and without it, police will move in and remove tents and “other obstructions” that protestors set up on city grounds.
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Occupy Dallas's Application For Restraining Order Against City
On Tuesday, City Manager Mary Suhm and First Assistant City Attorney Christopher Bowers sent a stern warning to the group, threatening to sever Occupy Dallas’ settlement agreement with the city if it didn’t correct a number of violations.
That settlement allows the protestors to set up an encampment in a grassy area to the south of City Hall, and without it, police will move in and remove tents and “other obstructions” that protestors set up on city grounds.
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Occupy Dallas's Application For Restraining Order Against City
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CBS
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
About that 'use of sidewalk' criminal charge against Occupy Dallas protesters arrested on Saturday
Occupy Dallas supporters have criticized Dallas police for what they say was an overly aggressive response to Saturday's protest at the Bank of America building downtown.
Dallas police arrested eight people, including seven on a rather odd-sounding charge of "use of sidewalk." According to the Texas Transportation code, that violation basically says that pedestrians cannot walk on a road if a sidewalk is provided and accessible.
It's tough to draw any clear conclusions from several videos of the protest posted online. Dallas police are continuing to review the incident.
Here's the exact wording of the law that could apparently land you in jail for walking in the street:
Sec. 552.006. USE OF SIDEWALK. (a) A pedestrian may not walk along and on a roadway if an adjacent sidewalk is provided and is accessible to the pedestrian.
(b) If a sidewalk is not provided, a pedestrian walking along and on a highway shall if possible walk on:
(1) the left side of the roadway; or
(2) the shoulder of the highway facing oncoming traffic.
(c) The operator of a vehicle emerging from or entering an alley, building, or private road or driveway shall yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian approaching on a sidewalk extending across the alley, building entrance or exit, road, or driveway.
Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995. Amended by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 497, Sec. 3, eff. June 11, 2001.
http://crimeblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2011/11/about-that-use-of-sidewalk-cri.html
It's tough to draw any clear conclusions from several videos of the protest posted online. Dallas police are continuing to review the incident.
Here's the exact wording of the law that could apparently land you in jail for walking in the street:
Sec. 552.006. USE OF SIDEWALK. (a) A pedestrian may not walk along and on a roadway if an adjacent sidewalk is provided and is accessible to the pedestrian.
(b) If a sidewalk is not provided, a pedestrian walking along and on a highway shall if possible walk on:
(1) the left side of the roadway; or
(2) the shoulder of the highway facing oncoming traffic.
(c) The operator of a vehicle emerging from or entering an alley, building, or private road or driveway shall yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian approaching on a sidewalk extending across the alley, building entrance or exit, road, or driveway.
Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995. Amended by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 497, Sec. 3, eff. June 11, 2001.
http://crimeblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2011/11/about-that-use-of-sidewalk-cri.html
Labels:
Dallas Morning News
The Time Has Come for Occupy Dallas to Get Organized, and Maybe Some Plumbing
OK. Uncle. I give. And it wasn't the public urination. I do that all the time.
Three things made me decide it's probably time for Occupy Dallas to de-occupy. First: allegations that a minor was sexually assaulted in one of the tents the Occupiers have pitched according to their agreement with City Hall.
Second: the story about the homeless couple raising their child in one of the tents the occupiers have erected as per their deal with City Hall.
Third: the fact that they even have a deal with City Hall.
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Three things made me decide it's probably time for Occupy Dallas to de-occupy. First: allegations that a minor was sexually assaulted in one of the tents the Occupiers have pitched according to their agreement with City Hall.
Second: the story about the homeless couple raising their child in one of the tents the occupiers have erected as per their deal with City Hall.
Third: the fact that they even have a deal with City Hall.
read on
Labels:
Dallas Observer
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