Occupy MN and ACLU Protest Plaza Shuffle

Story by Ed Draper

The American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota is asking Hennepin County to rescind new restrictions placed on the Occupy MN protests at the county’s Government Center Plaza.

The new restrictions include: barring protesters from sleeping overnight on the plaza when temperatures fall below 25 degrees, or when snow falls, prohibiting unattended items on the plaza, and forcing the protesters to consolidate their possessions.
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The ACLU says the new restrictions amount to suppression of free speech and violate the First Amendment.

Hennepin County has informed the protesters that they will have to consolidate their possessions in one area of the plaza as a process begins for preparing the plaza for winter. At a general assembly meeting last night, the Occupy MN group agreed to have the ACLU represent them in negotiations with the county.

With temperatures continuing to get colder what does this mean for the direction of the Occupy Minnesota movement? KFAI’s Ed Draper reports.