Occupy expects ‘national gathering’ in Philly

Members of Occupy groups from around the country are beginning a weeklong “national gathering” in Philadelphia.

Occupy Philadelphia organizer Lisa Ricci expects up to 3,000 people from around the country to assemble by the summit’s headline event on the Fourth of July.

The group has not applied for a permit. Ricci said she doesn’t anticipate confrontations with the police like the ones during Occupy Philadelphia’s demonstrations outside City Hall last fall.

“When you get to a certain amount of people, and it’s Occupy, people can take autonomous actions,” Ricci noted. “It’s not something I am overly concerned about personally.”

Occupy’s legal team has met with local officials.

Mayor Michael Nutter said Thursday that the city has had numerous discussions about this event.

“The law applies to everyone equally,” Nutter said. “You can come here, have a good time, exercise your freedom of speech, but no one has the right to act like an idiot. “

Occupiers will be joined on Independence Mall on July Fourth by two tea party groups.

And an Occupy offshoot group is holding an event called Continental Congress 2.0.