Occupy SF
Occupy SF IBTimes

Five protesters of economic inequality were arrested Sunday night, when police raided an Occupy SF encampment on Justin Herman Plaza, near the Ferry Building, according to police.

Since the past ten days, Occupy SF protesters had been camping and sleeping on the sidewalk in the front of the Federal Bank on Market Street, but police confiscated tents from protesters on Oct.7. However, protesters managed to reassemble a camp at Justin Herman Plaza.

Violent clash between police and protesters broke out when protesters relocated their tent camp to Justin Herman Plaza and the police raided the camp later on Sunday night at around 10:30 p.m.

According to police?camping at the plaza was banned by city laws and the protesters were informed earlier during the day to remove the tents.

They were told throughout the day to remove the tents pertaining to the violation,” a police statement said.

According to police, protesters surrounded the city trucks and refused to move the tents, when police in riot gear arrived at the plaza at around 10:30 p.m. and began dismantling protesters’ tents, as well as other camping devices and loading them into Department of Public Works trucks and vans.

Four protesters were taken into custody for being charged with obstructing public works officials and another one was arrested for battery on a police officer, according to San Francisco police Sgt. Daryl Fong, Reuters reported.

The issue was not them occupying the park, but rather the encampments, the camping tents and tarps, Fong said. We fully support them demonstrating and expressing their First Amendment rights.

They were warned to move or be arrested and the officers then took the enforcement action and took five into custody, Fong said.