Police monitor DC Occupy site

By The Associated Press

Posted: February 4, 2012 at 10:20 a.m.

Cliff Owen / AP
A U.S. Park Police officer removes a wooden structure from an Occupy DC protestor's tent at McPherson Square in Washington, Saturday, Feb. 4, 2012. Park Police arrived before dawn to enforce a no camping law at the square near the White House. The regulations permit protesters to remain onsite at all hours with tents, but bars them from camping or laying down bedding material.

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WASHINGTON — Dozens of U.S. Park Police officers are inspecting tents at one of the nation’s last remaining Occupy sites.

The officers arrived before dawn Saturday at McPherson Square, just blocks from the White House, on horseback and in riot gear. There were no clashes between police and protesters, though a Park Police spokesman said four people were arrested for disobeying a lawful order.

Police said they want to make sure protesters are complying with National Park Service regulations that allow demonstrations at the site but prohibit camping. Police are inspecting tents, and some officials are wearing yellow biohazard suits to avoid exposure to any communicable diseases.

Some demonstrators said the police are effectively evicting them by forcing them to remove any bedding material from their tents.

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  Keep track of Occupy protests around the U.S.

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  See our coverage of OccupyLR and OccupyNWA

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