Fire inspection at Zuccotti encampment
Participants of the Occupy Wall Street movement, right, talk to pedestrians trying to walk past their tent at Zuccotti Park in New York. (Oct, 27, 2011) Credit: AP
Occupy Wall Street protesters surrendered generators and containers of fuel during a fire department inspection of their encampment at Zuccotti Park on Friday morning, officials and protesters said.
The New York City Fire Department said it removed six generators and 13 fuel containers "during a coordinated inspection by firefighters and fire marshals. This action was taken to address the dangerous conditions posed by the presence and/or use of flammable and combustible liquids and portable generators in a public space."
"The inspection and removal took approximately 30 minutes and occupants of the park were cooperative with Fire Department personnel on scene," the department said in a statement.
Occupy Wall Street participant Devin Kyle, 32, of Silver Plum, Colo., confirmed there were no confrontations. He said fire inspectors used a bullhorn to wake up protesters about 8 a.m. and asked them to turn over flammable implements in their tents.
Later in the day about 400 protesters marched in two groups to bank offices to present complaint letters collected through the group's website, The Associated Press reported.
The fire inspection came as protesters braced for the coldest weather of the season. Rain is expected Saturday morning, followed by a wintry mix of rain and snow later Saturday as the temperature dips close to freezing.
Protesters said the firefighters also took a biodiesel generator and a gasoline generator.
"They blindsided us while we were still sleeping," Kyle said. "They took our generator, which we need to edit our video and recharge our cellphones."
The seizure of the generators is a loss for protesters who use social media to rally support for their marches and their Zuccotti Park encampment.
Brookfield Properties, which owns the publicly accessible park and adjacent office building, said in a statement, "We continue to be concerned with safety conditions in the park and are supportive of this [FDNY] action."
In other news, a person close to the protest told The Associated Press late Friday that the demonstrators' first financial report would show the movement has raised $454,000 and spent just more than $50,000 in its first five weeks.
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