Some from Occupy Philadelphia apply for permit to move

Members of Occupy Philadelphia have applied for a permit in to move across the street from City Hall.  

Protesters disrupted the weekly meeting of Philadelphia City Council, holding their own votes on everything from a tip bill to rescinding the stricter curfews approved by city council several weeks ago.

Outside the meeting, protester TJ Ghose said the group disrupted City Council to make a point.

“We are building a police state within this democracy, so as a professor, as a citizen as someone who is part of the occupy movement, we wanted to take back the democratic process so what you saw in there was people going in and making their voices heard,” said Ghose.

Minutes after the disruption, Mayor Michael Nutter said he received a permit application from at least part of Occupy to move to away from City Hall to Thomas Paine Plaza.

“We’ve had a lot of conversation recently that’s helpful they’ve sent us an application and we will evaluate that permit application as with any permit application that comes in,” said Nutter.

The city wants the protesters to leave so construction can begin renovating Dilworth Plaza.  The mayor would not give an eviction date, or say if the permit for Paine Plaza would be approved.