Update: Houston, occupied

Dear Media and Others; 

The peaceful OccupyHouston demonstrators present at Eleanor Tinsley Park have just been informed by the Houston Police that they must remove their tents and lean-tos that keep them out of the rain and intense heat so that they may continue to peacefully protest and exert their Constitutional rights to assemble and petition their government for redress of grievances and to Freedom of Speech and Expression.  It is possible that the police officer's order alone violates these rights as it has put a chill upon them.  Notice has been sent (see below) to the Mayor and City Council. 

Sincerely,
Randall L. Kallinen

Oh, Mayor Parker, how incredibly short-sighted of you. A group of young people are out exercising their most basic of constitutional rights and you're more concerned about tents in Buffalo Bayou Park. 

I guess if the tents and lean-tos were sponsored by the various oil, energy, financial and law firms downtown it'd be okay. We could just call it the ExxonMobilChevronTexacoReliantCenterpointDynegyWellsFargoJPMorganChaseBakerBottsFulbrightGuiliani Occupation of Houston, charge $5 for admission and $10 for 20 tickets redeemable for turkey legs, funnel cakes or sausage on a stick and we'd be in business.

If you want to draw attention to the protest, Mayor Parker, what better way than to send the stormtroopers police into the park to remove the tents and protesters. Do you really think that would end it? Do you not think that such action might draw out more supporters?

The mayor doesn't seem to care that the Chief of Police is putting one of men responsible for trying to cover up another officer's DWI, in charge of the DWI task force, but, put a tent in a park and she's all over that like white on rice.

*****

To: atlarge1 <atlarge1@houstontx.gov>; atlarge2 <atlarge2@houstontx.gov>; atlarge3 <atlarge3@houstontx.gov>; atlarge4 <atlarge4@houstontx.gov>; atlarge5 <atlarge5@houstontx.gov>; districta <districta@houstontx.gov>; districtb <districtb@houstontx.gov>; districtc <districtc@houstontx.gov>; districtd <districtd@houstontx.gov>; districte <districte@houstontx.gov>; districtf <districtf@houstontx.gov>; districtg <districtg@houstontx.gov>; districth <districth@houstontx.gov>; districti <districti@houstontx.gov>; mayor <mayor@houstontx.gov>; 

Sent: Mon, Oct 10, 2011 2:27 pm  

Subject: URGENT NOTICE Houston Police Plan To Violate First Amendment Now 

Dear Mayor Parker and Councilmembers, The peaceful demonstrators present at Eleanor Tinsley Park have been informed by the Houston Police that they must remove their tents and lean-tos that keep them out of the rain and intense heat so that they may continue to peacefully protest and exert their Constitutional rights to assemble and petition their government for redress of grievances and to Freedom of Speech and Expression.  It is possible that the police officer's order alone violates these rights as it has put a chill upon them.  Please inform your Houston City police employees to inform the peaceful protestors that they do not have remove their structures immediately.  Thank you.    Sincerely,

Randall L. Kallinen

*****
Update:

According to this account from the Houston Chronicle, protesters have taken down the tents.

Occupy Houston protesters at Eleanor Tinsley Park have taken down their tents after being told they violate a city ordinance, an attorney for the group said Monday afternoon.

Police notified participants about 1 p.m. that the tents needed to come down, said Burke Moore. The group did not have the required permits needed to erect the tents, Moore said.

Protesters were allowed the use the tents on Sunday, for protection from the rain, participants said. The weather has since cleared up.

Police this afternoon spoke with Moore about dismantling the tents, he said. The attorney said the group, as a whole, decided to comply. One person did not want to comply, but the group acts by consensus, Moore added.