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Occupy Lansing leaves park, plans to continue activities

An occupier in Lansing on October 1. Protesters have broken camp in Lansing.
Peace Education Center
/
Flickr
An occupier in Lansing on October 1. Protesters have broken camp in Lansing.

Occupiers in Lansing have become the latest group in the Occupy movement to pack up their camp for the winter. The Lansing State Journal reports that tents and other shelters have been cleared from Reutter Park in downtown Lansing. More from the LSJ:

Occupy Lansing members decided earlier this week to disband the tents by early this morning, but they also pledged to continue organizing and conducting activities this winter - and rebuild the camp this spring. Observers say it remains unclear what will emerge when the snow thaws. "We'll see in the springtime, or later this winter, if the energy and momentum is carried forward into the new year," said Peter Alegi, a Michigan State University professor of history. "My sense is that the momentum is there." On Thursday, several protesters said they were not pressured by the city of Lansing to leave the camp. As temperatures fell in late November, the number of protesters living nightly at the camp began to dwindle from its peak of around 25. By early this week, the number had dropped to one or two campers.

Occupy Detroit members left their camp at Grand Circus Park last month, but have been working to maintain their community involvement in other ways like initiating a voter registration drive.