#OccupyBoston Eviction Watch Turns to All-Night Dance Party as City Fails to Clear Dewey Square Camp

BOSTON/Dewey Square - Midnight came and went with no evidence that Mayor Menino would make good on his threatened eviction of #OccupyBoston protesters from their Dewey Square encampment this morning.

By 11:30 p.m. last night, the camp's population had swelled to some 500 festive occupiers and supporters, bolstered with music from Cambridge’s Second Line Social Aid and Pleasure Society Brass Band. The protesters had already dismantled much of their encampment, with tents still coming down and camp residents moving through the site with plastic garbage bags, apparently determined to leave the park the way they had found it.

A hundred or so protesters who decided to risk arrest met in the center of the camp with their affinity groups. “They’re trying to decide which part of the camp to defend,” explained Isaac Everett of St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral. Everett is a member of The Protest Chaplains, a mostly Christian group that has supported #OccupyBoston since its inception in September. When asked if they too were planning to get arrested, Marisa Egerstrom said, “Well, we’re here.”

A limited police presence was visible at the perimeters, but was far outnumbered by media vans. A helicopter hovered high overhead. A few police emergency vehicles pulled up, and a garbage truck. Onlookers gathered along Atlantic Avenue, a few breaking into spontaneous debate about the efficacy of occupation as a form of protest. By 12:30 p.m., the crowd had spilled out of the confines of the square and lined up on either side of Atlantic Avenue, chanting and cheering as cars and the occasional six-wheeler drove by, honking in support.

A little after 1 a.m., an announcement went out over “the people’s mic” that Boston Police Superintendent William Evans was on record saying police would not be clearing the camp that night. “But don’t go home! Stay! Celebrate!” the announcer said. By 2 a.m., #Occupy Boston had become an all night celebration, aided by a police blockade of Atlantic Ave.

There were two arrests later this morning after occupiers moved a number of tents into Atlantic Ave. – otherwise no incidents of note and no further arrests as of this writing. The street was later reopened to traffic.

Update, 2:45 p.m.: We're getting credible estimates from observers that were onsite from yesterday afternoon on that 800-1500 people were in attendance at the rally.

This story will be updated as the situation develops.

Text by Amy Grunder. Photo by Jason Pramas.