As an unusual and record-breaking October snowfall swept through New York, fire department confiscated generators belonging to Occupy Wall St protestors.
This past week, the Occupy Wall Street movement, now in its sixth week, posted in Zuccotti Park lost the generators that had been powering heat, among other things—according to Reuters, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said generators and fuel were confiscated because they were considered a safety hazard and it was not a bid to remove protesters.
According to the New York Times, Bloomberg said firefighters went into Zuccotti Park early Friday morning and removed six generators and 13 cans of gasoline.
Reportedly, protesters handed over the items voluntarily to the around 40 firefighters that went through the park. The mayor praised the protestors for their cooperation.
“You can’t complain when notified about the safety hazard, the protesters voluntarily took their generators and cans and turned them in,” Bloomberg told WOR-AM(710), reported NY Times.
Protestors are now reportedly asking for donations in the form of insulated gloves, wool hats, scarves, 300 hand warmers, 300 foot warmers
among other things.
“It’s been dumping snow here in NYC all day, high winds and 3 inches of slush on the ground. With the NYPD and FDNY confiscating six generators on Friday and this unprecedented October snow, those occupying Liberty Plaza in downtown NYC are in need of emergency supplies crucial for cold weather survival (and occupation),” read a post on Occupywallst.org. ” We’ve made a lot of headway on getting winter gear here in the last 48 hrs but definitely need more.”
