City: Occupy Allentown can stay

[struggle4progress]

Organizers hope to keep up protest until the end of the year.
By Arlene Martínez, Of The Morning Call
6:11 p.m. EDT, October 11, 2011

Relax, Occupy Allentown members. The city says it's OK for you to pitch tents and settle in for the long haul. In other words, you can continue to occupy Allentown.

The decision came Tuesday, a day after protesters said they were told to abandon their makeshift camp at Seventh and Hamilton streets, the heart of the downtown.

"They're going to allow the tents particularly with the rain coming as long as they're out of the way," said Mary Catherine Roper, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania.

Roper said she spoke with Assistant Chief Joseph Hanna on Tuesday morning, and the sides agreed the protest could go on, as long as the tents don't impede pedestrian traffic and the gathering remains passive. Hanna could not be reached for comment ...

http://www.mcall.com/news/local/allentown/mc-allentown-occupy--protest-20111011,0,7870125.story