[Australia] Occupy Brisbane: City faces $30,000 damage bill - Polidicks

[img]http://media.news.com.au/cs/newscomau/v2/_shared/base/css/images/icons/homepage-title.png[/img] Source: [url]http://www.news.com.au/national/police-move-to-evict-occupybrisbane-protesters-from-post-office-square/story-e6frfkvr-1226183526695[/url] [img]http://resources0.news.com.au/images/2011/11/02/1226183/301876-occupy-brisabne-arrests.jpg[/img] Occupy Brisbane protesters are removed from Post Office Square. Picture: Steve Pohlner Source: mX [release] • Cops drag away last of the protesters • Eviction a "sorry day for Queensland" • [url=http://www.news.com.au/world/free-love-at-occupy-wall-street-site-prompts-mass-std-testing/story-e6frfkyi-1226183150936]The randy radicals in Occupy Wall Street[/url] [B]POLICE have dragged the remaining 15 Occupy Brisbane protesters from Post Office Square after a stand-off.[/B] At 7.30am, police began moving in and picking up the few protesters left in the square. Police say there were four arrests for obstructing police, though all were released without charge. One protester who climbed a street sign was brought down. Others were picked up and taken out of the encampment. Lord Mayor Graham Quirk said the protesters caused up to $30,000 of damage to the square during their three-week occupation. Authorities now face a race against time to re-turf it before Remembrance Day ceremonies on November 11. Cr Quirk said he made the decision to dismantle the protest on Monday and then spoke with police yesterday. Police began gathering at the square around 4am and erected fences around the square, hemming in the protesters' tent city. Police said Brisbane City Council requested their assistance to move protesters to allow for the "regeneration of Post Office Square precinct". When police arrived there were about 100 people occupying the square. At 6am, there were about 20 protesters remaining in the square, refusing to move. Others had already left. They have moved the protest to Queen's Park, at the corner of Elizabeth and George Streets. Shortly after the few remaining in the square began chanting "The whole world is watching, we are the 99 per cent". Around 6.20am, protesters, including one with bagpipes, began the march the few blocks to the new site. The peaceful eviction was in stark contrast to Melbourne where there were arrests and violence when police moved on protesters there last week. But the eviction angered some protesters. Ian Curr, 60, who was evicted from the square at 5am, said it was a "sorry day for Queensland". "We've gone back to the Bjelke-Petersen era, where people are not allowed to assemble in peace." he said.[/release]

What [strike]could[/strike] did they do to cause $30,000 in damages..

[QUOTE=zzaacckk;33082777]What [strike]could[/strike] did they do to cause $30,000 in damages..[/QUOTE] Tazers, pepper spray, etc.

Tasers, pepper spray don't cost 30k in damages. More then likely damaged property, rubbish to pick up, cost of police officers overtime, utilities if the camp tapped in to the city's power, etc.

[QUOTE=zzaacckk;33082777]What [strike]could[/strike] did they do to cause $30,000 in damages..[/QUOTE] [del]could[/del]

[QUOTE=MR-X;33082847]Tasers, pepper spray don't cost 30k in damages. More then likely damaged property, rubbish to pick up, cost of police officers overtime, utilities if the camp tapped in to the city's power, etc.[/QUOTE] That's not directly the protesters fault, its due to the reaction of the city. The only thing the protesters should be held accountable for is the trash on the ground, everything else should be blamed on the city. Also, AFAIK if they tapped into power it would matter as they don't have a meter that goes to the city.

[QUOTE=MR-X;33082847]Tasers, pepper spray don't cost 30k in damages. More then likely damaged property, rubbish to pick up, cost of police officers overtime, utilities if the camp tapped in to the city's power, etc.[/QUOTE] You can't count police overtime and electricity bills as "damage"

I read this earlier, they have to re-turf large sections of the park