Bloomberg Ordered Zuccotti Park Raided, Wiped Out in a Little Over 5 Hours

Dozens of NYPD officers wearing helmets and carrying nightsticks descended on Zuccotti Park for a massive wipe out that began Tuesday at Midnight.

Via The NY Daily News: As 1 a.m. approached, officers began announcing on megaphones: "All property, including personal property, must be removed immediately. This is a health hazard."

Police ordered everyone to leave so the park could be cleaned and threatened to arrest those who refused

As cops entered the park, they began tossing the tents to make sure no one was hiding and protesters--who began chanting "Whose park? Our park!" and "We're not going nowhere!"--began locking arms.

Sanitation crews immediately began cleaning up, police got protesters huddled in the middle of the park and members of the media were ordered to leave.

By 4 a.m., most of the rubble had been removed from the park, but police were still struggling to get protesters to leave.

At 4:30 a.m., there was a large crowd nearby at Broadway and Pine St., where some demonstrators climbed on police cars. At 5:10 a.m., police told the demonstrators to disperse and they refused the orders. Eventually, an army of cops in riot gear pushed the crowd to the sidewalk and arrested dozens of people. Bottles of water, a wooden plank and food were thrown at the officers. At 5:30 a.m protestors were regrouping and marching to a new location.

By 8 a.m., protesters were on the move for a planned 9 a.m. demonstration at Canal St. and Sixth Ave. Other demonstrators were being allowed back into Zuccotti Park.

According to a statement released by Mayor Bloomberg, he just wanted the park cleaned up for safety reasons and plans to let protestors back into Zuccotti Park later on today but they will not be allowed to have any tents or sleeping bags.