Occupy Philadelphia appeals permit that says ‘no’ to camping out

Members of Occupy Philadelphia are appealing the restrictions the city wants to impose if the group moves to a new location.

Gwen Snyder of Occupy Philadelphia says members feel it’s wrong that their permit for Thomas Paine Plaza–across the street from their current location–would not let them stay after 7p.m.  They want to keep sleeping over in tents as they are doing in Dilworth Plaza.  Snyder says the shops in the Christmas Village in Love Park are getting treated better.

“One of our biggest concerns is looking at how the city is giving so many privileges for the use of public space to the commercial enterprise and so severely restricting the use of public space for us trying to express our First Amendment free speech rights,” said Snyder.

The city says protests in Paine Plaza must restricted to avoid impeding traffic.  Snyder says Occupiers don’t buy it.

“We feel a lot of the justifications that they are giving for these restrictions are just false,” said Snyder.

Philadelphia Managing Director Rich Negrin will have the final say on the permit. That is not expected to happen until after Thanksgiving.