Protesters ordered to temporarily leave Zuccotti Park during cleanup

Mayor Michael Bloomberg met with Occupy Wall Street protesters Wednesday to tell them to clear out of Zuccotti Park by Friday morning now that their home base has become too squalid for the city’s liking.

“The cleaning will be done in stages and the protesters will be able to return to the areas that have been cleaned, provided they abide by the rules that [owner Brookfield Properties] has established for the park,” Deputy Mayor for Operations Cas Holloway said in a statement.

Anti-Wall Street protesters have inhabited the park for nearly a month. Brookfield had expressed concern about its inability to clean the park.