Olympia park fenced off after protesters are evicted

About 30 state troopers in riot gear moved into Heritage Park on Friday morning to clear out Occupy Olympia, hours after campers defied a midnight deadline for the tent camp to leave. A short time later, a group of people who had holed up in an abandoned building on Fourth Avenue left peacefully.

There were no arrests as the camp was cleared.

State troopers moved to evict the camp, which had been in place about two months, after the Department of Enterprise Services asked campers Nov. 11 to leave voluntarily, citing health and safety concerns. Campers refused to leave by 12:01 a.m. Friday, instead holding a dance party with loud music that drew several dozen people.

The Washington State Patrol responded to the park at about 7:20 a.m. and told campers to leave, said Sgt. J.J. Gundermann, a spokesman.

Troopers checked each tent for inhabitants. By then, only a few campers remained, peacefully retreating as the police advanced.

Meanwhile, a temporary fence was quickly erected around the camp, preventing anyone from entering. Crews began using heavy equipment to remove the remaining tents and heaps of belongings. Owners of seized items will be able to claim them from the state until Jan. 9.

Steve Valandra, spokesman for the Department of Enterprise Services, said he didn’t know how long the park will be fenced off. Some grass will have to be reseeded and debris cleared.

Valandra said the demonstration had cost his department about $5,300, but that the number will rise.