Permit for Occupy Philly move still up in the air

After being told by police that they could not move across the street to Thomas Paine Plaza, members of Occupy Philadelphia were waiting for a review of their permit application Friday afternoon.

Mayor Michael Nutter says the Occupy movement is unorganized, so it’s tough to deal with all its many members.  But he said wants the group out of Dilworth Plaza.

“The external conditions out on Dilworth plaza continue to deteriorate and are disgusting,” Nutter said. “Public health and public safety issues right there need to be addressed.”

The mayor said it’s hard to work with a group where no one is in charge.

“There is division, there is divisiveness, there are now apparently two different groups. One group has submitted an application, another group is thinking about one,” Nutter said. “They, on one hand, seem to be taking pride in running a leaderless movement and then try to engage with us to try to get things done.”

The mayor would not say when or if a permit for Paine Plaza would be issued.  He wants the protesters  to relocate to make room for a $50 million renovation project at Dilworth Plaza, the group’s current home.