BOISE, ID – National Park Service officials cleared out Occupy D.C. earlier this month. Only a few tents stand there now as part of 24-hour vigils. Camping, sleeping, and cooking are banned. Something similar is unfolding in Idaho with Occupy Boise.
We introduced you to Occupy Boise member Mike Dooley earlier this month. The 22-year old used to live in a homeless shelter, but found the protest movement more to his liking. Now, Dooley spends his days at Occupy meetings and developing his photography skills.
Mike Dooley: “It’s so great, you know, to be doing what I love to do all the time. And I wish that was the case for everybody because there’s a lot of people out there doing stuff that they’re not really passionate about.”
But the movement’s days on state land are numbered. Governor Butch Otter gave them until late afternoon Monday to leave the grounds of the Old Ada County Courthouse. A federal judge then decided to give Occupy Boise until Friday to break camp. The group’s attorney, Bryan Walker, filed the temporary restraining order that led to the judge’s decision.
Bryan Walker: “The focus and the intent of that visual encampment is political expression.”
Judge Lynn Winmill agreed that tents and a 24-hour vigil are expressions of free speech and assembly. But sleeping overnight is banned and any other gear that’s used to camp, make fires, or cook can be confiscated by state officials. Some Occupy Boise members seem to have gotten the message.
Mike Dooley: “Some of the people have chosen to take their tents down in preparation for the eviction.”
Dooley says they plan to keep a 24-hour protest going with tents as meeting spaces in line with Judge Winmill’s decision. He intends to stay active with Occupy Boise, but won’t camp there for much longer.
Mike Dooley: “I’ve have had a few offers to stay at some friends places. And so basically, I’ll just keep in touch and we’re still going to have all the meetings that we’ve been having.”
Judge Winmill’s order is temporary until he hears further arguments. Occupy Boise has camped at the grounds of the Old Ada County Courthouse since November.
Copyright 2012 Boise State Public Radio