Yikes

This morning, I noted that NYC Major Michael Bloomberg's whole "we need to clean Zuccotti Park" thing sounded both ominous and dishonest, a passive-aggressive bid to quash the protests, threatening to force the protesters into taking action that will then be used to discredit them.

Throughout the day, protesters have reacted by cleaning the park themselves, rendering moot the justification for removing them from the park for this allegedly necessary cleaning.

The city then began circulating new rules for the protest, which "prohibit camping equipment, sleeping bags, and other material that have so far been necessary to keep the occupation going."

This clearly forces the protesters' collective hand: If they leave the park and have to return to abide those rules, the entire occupation could be in danger. So now they have said they will not leave the park for cleaning:

Facing the prospects of being moved out of Zuccotti Park for a cleaning of the area and the establishment of new rules that may end up killing the occupation, Occupy Wall Street protesters have announced that they plan to stand their ground tomorrow morning. "We have decided that at 7 o'clock tomorrow, we will not leave the park," said OWS spokesman Tyler Combelic, adding, "We are not opposed to cleaning it ourselves."

That is thrilling and scary.

Call New York City's complaint line at 212.NEW.YORK (212.639.9675) to register your support for the protesters and ask that they not be ejected from the park.