Syracuse (WSYR-TV) – Mayor Stephanie Miner has ordered Occupy Syracuse to vacate its location in the city’s downtown area.
According to the city, fire personnel have raised safety concerns about the protest site.
The Syracuse Fire Department says it has found a 20 gallon propane tank at the site, along with two 16.4 ounce propane tanks and propane heaters.
Occupy Syracuse activists say they aren’t finished yet.
“We're not going anywhere. They can come here if they want to try to tear us down but it’s not going to look good for Mayor Miner’s re-election campaign. We'll work against her if she's going to work against us,” said protester John Grey.
Syracuse officials say living conditions have become a public hazard.
“This is for their own safety. Like I said, those tents would go up in a flash. Nylon camping tents are not fire resistant…it'll just melt on them. So I have a responsibility to those people and the public to keep them safe,” said Syracuse Fire Chief Mark McLees.
The fire chief said he asked the occupiers to get rid of the propane appliances multiple times.
“Gave them one opportunity…educated them. Gave them another opportunity…educated them again and now a week later we're finding more empty cylinders and different heating appliances. They’re just not abiding by the agreement,” McLees said.
Occupy Syracuse activists say the agreement was never written down – and they thought they were safe taking precautions against carbon monoxide poisoning.
An agreement occupiers say was never written down and they thought they were being safe by taking precautions for carbon monoxide poisoning.
“This is incredibly ventilated,” said Grey, referring to a tent. “This isn't sealed at the bottom- wind comes right in here.”
Occupiers are enlisting the help of ACLU members to draft negotiations with the mayor’s office.
But city officials have decided that Occupy Syracuse's time has come to an end.
“When it's one degree outside, it's a temptation to try and stay warm,” McLees said. “But it's too risky - the hazard using propane inside a little tent.”
Many of the heating appliances were confiscated by the Syracuse Fire Department - all others were disposed of by yesterday morning. Even though they now comply with safety standards - like the fire chief said - the winter provides too much temptation to bring the heaters back.
Miner personally delivered the news to the occupiers Tuesday morning. She said the decision is non-negotiable and they must be out by 8 a.m. on Wednesday.
