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Occupy COMO Items Removed from City Hall

Spencer Vyrostek, an Occupy COMO protester, stands in front of city hall hours after police and city workers removed items belonging to the activist group.
Rehman Tungekar
Spencer Vyrostek, an Occupy COMO protester, stands in front of city hall hours after police and city workers removed items belonging to the activist group.

Items belonging to Occupy COMO protesters were removed from city hall on Tuesday. City workers and police came at about 11 am to remove a tent, sleeping bags and other personal belongings that were stored in front of the building.

Jill Stedem, a public information officer for the Columbia Public Works Department, said the removal occurred without incident, and was not designed to clamp down on Occupy COMO's right to protest.

"They have never been told that they could not protest in front of city hall. They have been told they cannot camp here and use the city, use our property as a storage facility," she said.

Despite the removal of their items, protesters were in generally good spirits. Occupy COMO protester Spencer Vyrostek believes the incident won’t deter others like him.

"I still plan on doing a 24 hour, 7 day a week occupation, and I hope the city stands with me, as in the citizens," he continued, "but my plans are to do it, and there are people who are willing to stand with me, I’m sure."

Protesters can retrieve their items by calling the city's Public Works Department.

Rehman Tungekar is a former producer for KBIA, who left at the beginning of 2014.
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