Dallas Gives Protest Campers A Deadline

By BJ Austin, KERA News

Dallas, TX – The honeymoon is over for Occupy Dallas, which began its protest last week. A city permit says protesters may camp out at Pioneer Plaza downtown until 5pm on Friday. KERA's BJ Austin says more than three dozen campers will have to decide whether to risk arrest after that deadline.

So far, there's been a spirit of cooperation between the city, police and protesters. City officials even helped Occupy Dallas file for the special use permit that will include delivery of a Port-A-Potty. Protesters walked to nearby Dallas City Hall yesterday to hand deliver a letter. They wanted to personally deliver it to the Mayor, City Manager or a Council member. The protester who prefers to be called just Kooper read part of the letter while waiting in the hall outside the Mayor's office. It made no demands. It was more like a friendly update.

Kooper: We have established a set of guidelines to make sure.

The letter says the group is keeping police updated and taking their advice on certain things.

After about half and hour and a few conversations, City Manager Mary Suhm accepted the letter from El Centro student Tina Gonzalez.

Gonzalez: I'm glad that they actually took it, and she was cordial about it. Nothing had to go to the extremes.

Some Occupy Dallas protesters indicate they are willing to be arrested for the cause. Just what that cause is appears to depend on who you talk to.

This is Kooper:

Kooper: I can only speak personally. I cannot speak for the whole movement. I would like an end to all US foreign wars. I would like the immediate end of all deportations of people who come here to work. I would like an immediate end to privatized university systems and all public universities be nationalized so tuition would be free or taxpayer funded.

Kooper says education is a right not a privilege.

Others, like retired bookkeeper Linda Steele from Terrell, says the middle class is disappearing in a widening gulf between the wealthy and the average American family. She says that needs to change. She's commuting from Terrell each day to join the protest. Dallas Police say they have managed the daily downtown protest marches and the campout without any overtime of officers. And so far, it's been Texas friendly.

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