NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP/WMOT) — An attempt to move the Occupy Nashville protest from the state Capitol to the city's Public Square was short-lived.
One tent was set up on the lawn of the city government headquarters Monday night. According to an Occupy spokesperson, seven Metro Nashville police cruisers arrived at the site early Tuesday morning and officers told tent dweller Matt Hammill a local ordinance barred camping there.
Hammill packed up his tent and left.
Occupy protester Jason Steen says the group expects to be evicted from Legislative Plaza on Thursday and will continue to explore its options in meetings scheduled for later today.
He also says this latest attempt to evict Occupy from the Plaza is re-energizing protesters.
"Yesterday in particular was our first big rally meeting for our crisis team, and we've seen folks that we hadn't seen since October starting to come back out and support us...and lots of support from the community. You know that really warms your heart as well to see that the community is behind you."
Protesters have been camped at Legislative Plaza since Oct. 7. State troopers cleared the plaza and arrested more than 50 protesters later that the same month, but a Nashville judge ordered their immediate release.