UPDATED: Wednesday at 2:27 a.m.

Try as they might, ‘Brother Jon’ Grey said he’s not moving.

The local resident and Occupy Syracuse member stood in a crowd of more than 60 people bundled in coats, scarves, hats and gloves at Perseverance Park to discuss their anticipated police evacuation in a demonstration that was followed by a general assembly meeting Wednesday night.

Mayor Stephanie Miner told the occupiers at 8 a.m. Tuesday, which marked the movement’s 108th day, that they must evacuate the park because they violated city fire codes.

‘She said we were ‘noncompliant,” Grey said.

Miner could not be reached for comment.

Although the winter has been relatively mild, Occupy organizers were recently met with minus 4 degree temperatures and snow accumulation. Ryan O’Hara, another member of Occupy Syracuse, said there are 10 to 15 people who sleep in tents in the park every night. Miner told the organizers they were not allowed to have heat or electricity because it is a fire code violation.

When fire officials investigated a reported carbon monoxide issue in the camp Jan. 8, they found propane fired heaters and cooking appliances including multiple propane tanks. This caused Miner to issue the eviction.

Grey said the organizers had been compliant with Miner’s codes, using only their sleeping bags to stay warm, but supporters and community members kept donating propane tanks and space heaters. He said Occupy members hadn’t used the donated items and wanted to return them but did not do so fast enough.

‘The only reason we still had stuff was because it was donations,’ Grey said.

O’Hara also said there was not enough time to return everything. ‘People couldn’t get down here fast enough,’ he said.

Grey, who has spent 105 days at the Occupy Syracuse site, said he is upset because he feels the compliance codes from the city are not clear.

Grey said when they asked fire officials about the codes, they said they were unsure and told occupiers to call City Hall. When they called City Hall at 7:45 a.m., Grey said, they received no help or clarification. Fifteen minutes later, he said, Miner showed up to inform them of their eviction.

‘It’s been that way all along,’ he said. ‘It’s all an excuse, it’s all political.’

Grey said the occupiers would be happy to make one of the members a designated fire marshal who would be in charge of making sure everyone is in compliance with the city codes.

‘We’re not trying to fight with the city,’ he said.

Charles Mantaro, another member of Occupy Syracuse, said before the meeting he was woken up by Miner when she arrived at the park. Mantaro said he talked to Miner, who would not change her mind about evacuating the occupiers.

‘She was very set in her own ideas,’ he said. ‘It was obvious her decision was made.’

Mantaro said he is very upset about the eviction because the occupiers have been compliant and peaceful thus far.

‘There’s no drugs, there’s no alcohol, there’s no violence,’ he said. ‘It’s very safe here.’

People from all over the city came out to support the movement and lined South Salina Street, holding signs that advertised different messages like: ‘Honk for democracy,’ ‘Sorry for the inconvenience we are trying to change the world,’ ‘We march for hope not hate’ and ‘Keep corporate money out of elections.’

An hour into the demonstration, Occupy Syracuse members held one of the largest general assembly meetings since the movement began last October. It was clear the evacuation notice shook many people to the core. Attendees raised serious questions, with tears running down their cheeks, about the future of the Occupy movement.

Barrie Gewanter, director of the Central New York chapter of the New York Civil Liberties Union, an organization that works to defend the rights of all New Yorkers, attended the demonstration and said it’s likely the police will preplan the evacuation, and it’s possible the fire department may show up as well.

But it is clear the occupiers are ready to face the police. Sixteen members of the movement publicly said they were willing to risk being arrested Wednesday during the eviction.

Organizers suggested different tactics to resist police forces while still remaining nonviolent. A few ideas included linking arms around the park, creating a ‘human wall’ or marching to a different location to occupy.

For now, the occupiers anticipate being evacuated at 8 a.m., but Gewanter said it’s possible the police could come in earlier to move people out.

‘If (Miner) does it earlier, she’s going back on what she said,’ Gewanter said, to which a few people in the crowd chuckled, ‘Nothing new.’

She said the chance of Miner suspending the eviction or extending the deadline was very slim. Gewanter said she spoke to Miner on the phone Tuesday morning to ask if there was any way Miner would be willing to negotiate her decision.

‘She was really clear on the phone that she was not willing to have a conversation,’ Gewanter said.

Jess Hartz, who participated in the demonstration, said she has been involved with Occupy Syracuse since November. She said one of the biggest struggles of the movement has been to get public respect.

‘We’ve had people calling us hippies, druggies, dumba**es,’ she said. ‘We know what we are: a movement.’

Hartz said she was shocked, upset and disappointed at Miner’s decision to evacuate the occupiers. But, she said, when the time comes, she does not plan on leaving quietly.

‘I’m still gonna be here,’ she said. ‘You can’t get rid of me.’

snbouvia@syr.edu  

Published on January 17, 2012 at 12:00 pm

Contact Stephanie: snbouvia@syr.edu | @snbouvia