3 NYC protesters arrested in trespassing

Three Occupy Wall Street protesters were arrested Sunday after they refused to leave an empty lot owned by Trinity Church, a spokeswoman for the demonstrators said.

The trio began a hunger strike Saturday afternoon in an effort to get the church to let protesters use an empty lot it owns at Sixth Avenue and Canal Street as a temporary occupation site, said the spokeswoman, who did not want her name published.

For several weeks, protesters have been asking the church to use the area, which is several blocks north of Zuccotti Park, as an open community center, she said. The trio refused to leave the lot, she said.

A spokesman for the NYPD went into few details about the arrests but said three people were arrested around 11:50 a.m. Sunday on charges of trespassing nearby Duarte Square.

"The owners of the property notified the police that there were trespassers there," the spokesman said. "They were given numerous warnings by the NYPD."

When the trio refused to leave, police arrested them, he said. The protesters were later released and issued tickets, the spokesman said.