By Hunter Walker 11/15/11 8:07am

All Nighters

Police Move In To Clear Occupy Wall Street Camp In Zuccotti Park

Behind the Barricades at the NYPD’s Occupy Wall Street Raid

The Observer was on hand to witness the NYPD raid on Occupy Wall Street last night–or as much as we were able to see from behind the metal barricades police used to keep both press and protesters away from the encampment in Zuccotti Park. We saw violence in the “Canyon of Heroes” along Lower Broadway, multiple arrests, anger at the media and an unexpected celebrity cameo.

We arrived on the scene shortly after one in the morning. Multiple protesters told us the raid began at about 12:40 a.m. We attempted to access the park multiple times but were told we could not cross the barricades despite identifying ourselves as press. Also stuck behind the barricades were photographers from the Wall Street Journal, New York Times and Reuters, a Japanese television crew, a man wearing a CNBC badge and an NBC cameraman who told us their live truck was blocked from entering the park. CBS reporter Manuel Gallegas also told us he was barred from the park.

“They’re kicking everybody out. Write about it,” Gallegas said. Read More

By Hunter Walker 11/07/11 11:24am

#OccupyWallStreet

Danny "Lotion Man" Cline occupying Wall Street. (Photo: YouTube.com/AmazingStrangersNYC)

Police Remove ‘Lotion Man’ From Zuccotti Park

Viral video star Danny “Lotion Man” Cline was removed from the Occupy Wall Street encampment in Zuccotti Park by police early this morning and taken to New York Downtown Hospital for a psychological evaluation following days of allegedly disturbing behavior and an incident where he allegedly forcibly hugged a female protester and threw himself on top of someone’s tent. Footage of Mr. Cline has been used by conservative media outlets eager to show “the dark side of the Occupy Wall Street protests.” Read More

By Hunter Walker 11/03/11 11:21am

#OccupyWallStreet

Mayor Bloomberg (Getty)

Mayor Bloomberg Discusses Keeping Occupy Wall Street In Line

Mayor Bloomberg told reporters this morning that criminal activity at Occupy Wall Street is a “very high priority” and said he’s disturbed by reports protesters aren’t telling the police about crimes in Zuccotti Park. The Mayor also reaffirmed the demonstrator’s right to stay in the park because “there’s no ‘but’ when it comes to the right to express yourself.”

Though he supports the right to protest, Mayor Bloomberg cautioned that it can’t come at the “expense of others” and suggested a different strategy for Occupy Wall Street. “My personal view is, why dont you get out there and try to do something about the things that you dont like … rather than just yell and scream,” Mayor Bloomberg said.  Read More