As the Occupy protest movement spreads throughout the country, questions about the movement’s impact on quality-of-life issues, day-to-day city and county functions, and the overall relationship of law enforcement and governments with the protestors have been hot topics.

 

A new ICMA survey finds that the vast majority of local governments have developed successful, collaborative relationships with local Occupy movement protestors and have found the protests in their jurisdiction manageable, with relatively few reports of disruption or turmoil. 

 

Most local governments with Occupy movement protests in their jurisdiction have been successful in keeping disruption and public health and safety issues to a minimum, while protecting the protestors’ right to free speech. This is a testament both to effective city and county governance as well as an indication that the vast majority of protestors are not seeking to disrupt important government functions or quality of life.

 

Of 376 local governments who responded to the survey, 87 (23%) reported an Occupy movement in their community.  Key findings include:

 

 

 

Local governments have a collaborative relationship with Occupy protests. 

•  62% of local governments that reported hosting an Occupy movement described the relationship as “very collaborative” (22%) or “somewhat” collaborative” (40%). 
• An additional 25% labeled that the relationship “changes from time to time” or is “neutral.” 
• Only 3% reported problems with the relationship, with 2% describing it as “tense” and only 1% labeling it “confrontational” or “combative.”                      

The vast majority of communities report success in balancing protest management with protestors’ rights.  

• 88% labeled their response to the movement “successful,” in terms of keeping disruption, public safety issues, sanitary issues, etc., to a minimum, while protecting protestors’ right to free speech.
• Only 12% responded “some successes, some failures.”
• None called it “not successful.”

 

Elected officials maintain neutrality. 

•  67% of respondents with a protest in their jurisdiction called the attitudes of elected officials toward the Occupy movement protests “neutral.” 
• 20% labeled elected officials’ attitudes as “generally supportive.”
• 12% labeled their attitudes as “generally opposed.” 
• 1% described the elected officials as “strongly supportive.”
• None indicated the officials are “strongly opposed” to the protests.

 

Very few communities report specific evictions. 

•  Only 11% of local governments hosting an Occupy protest in their community report having to clear or evict protestors from a public location.
• An overwhelming 89% said they had not had to clear or evict protesters.

 

Governments are aware and monitoring, but not particularly concerned, about a range of problems associated with Occupy protests. 

•  Health and safety of protestors due to weather: 15% said they were concerned, 20% said they were somewhat concerned, and 64% said they were not concerned.

•  Sanitary conditions of the protestors’ site: 20% concerned, 24% somewhat concerned, and 56% not concerned.

• Criminal activity against protestors: 8% concerned, 21% somewhat concerned, and 70% not concerned.

 

• Criminal activity by protestors: 10% concerned, 21% somewhat concerned, and 69% not concerned.

 

• Economic disruption: 6% concerned, 15% somewhat concerned, and 79% not concerned.

 

• Clashes between protestors and police: 5% concerned, 30% somewhat concerned, and 65% not concerned.

 

• Clashes between protestors and counter protestors: 6% concerned, 17% somewhat concerned, and 77% not concerned.

 

• Destruction of public and/or private property by protestors: 14% concerned, 25% somewhat concerned, and 61% not concerned.

 

 

 

About the Occupy protests

•  38% reported that the protest location involved an overnight encampment.
• 38% of respondents reported the protests were located on public property other than a park, 37% reported the protests centered in a park, and 26% of respondents reported that the protests has no fixed location. 
• 37% report requiring permits, while 63% do not.

 

The survey also asked respondents to provide qualitative information about their community’s experiences. Key recommendations and best practices noted include: 

 

 

 

 

Communication is key. 

• Some managers recommended a single point for all communication and having relevant personnel beyond just law enforcement engaged and aware of issues associated with the protests.

 

• Multiple respondents recommended meeting early on with protestors to try to work out an agreement that meets their needs as well as those of the local government and affected community. 

 

• Managers recommended setting clear expectations and establishing ground rules for legal protest conduct at the beginning and for enforcement of the rules.

 

• Oberlin, Ohio, city manager Eric Norenberg said, “We have had a long-running peace protest (every Saturday at noon) on a prominent corner which does not block commercial establishments. This location has had very little impact on commerce or others.  I would suggest working with ‘Occupy’ organizers early on to find a visible location that will have little or no impact on others.  Civil activism is part of our community DNA, so if anyone wanted to organize a longer, larger scale ‘Occupy’ protest, I would expect the city would find a way to safely and inexpensively support it. And, as is demonstrated by some preliminary questions, I expect we will get cooperation from the protesters to avoid conflict and damage.”

 

• Merced, California, city manager John Bramble noted that “the county sheriff and city police met with the organizers of Occupy Merced.  They were organizing in a county park, thus the cooperative effort.  We met with the protestors after they appeared in the county park and outlined what would keep them safe and to provide the group a point of contact if they ran into problems.  So far the group has remained very small and has not tried to take an aggressive action.”

Don’t overreact. Avoid confrontation.

• Multiple respondents noted the importance of looking for opportunities to work with the protestors to accommodate requests well before issues arise. 

 

• Others noted that arrests should be a last resort that is used only when a situation gets out of control, in part to avoid potential news stories. 

 

• Respondents also highlighted the importance of not relying on an overwhelming police presence automatically, especially important so long as protests were orderly and free of damage.

 

• Ventura, California, city manager Rick Cole stated, “We have permitted two weekend events, one at a downtown park and two weeks later at a satellite parking lot near city hall. We insisted on a cut-off time for each and the group agreed and respected both deadlines. By being flexible in permitting time-limited events, we gained cooperation in respecting those time limits. About 350 came during the day the first weekend, with perhaps 35 staying over night. The second weekend was probably 50 during the day and 20 overnight. There are no further announced plans. The protestors have praised the cooperation of the city and police.”

 

• According to Rochelle Toney, city manager of Savannah, Georgia, “City staff and Occupy organizers meet frequently to address any problems that arise. We have had minimal issues because this was done at the beginning of the organization of the protest and has lasted throughout.” 
  

Health and safety of protestors and protecting private property

• The tent encampments were of concern to some respondents, both from the perspective of the health and safety of the protestors as well as possible damage to public property. 

 

• Some recommended that encampments be avoided initially if possible, thus reducing the need to remove them, especially forcibly, later.

 

Overall, most local governments are comfortable with the way they are managing the protest movement.  They report that one frustration is the ambiguous and diverse motives of the protestors and the lack of a clear way to negotiate a resolution. In some cities there is a lack of clear and consistent leadership within the protest movement to identify and resolve issues.

 

To access the full survey, visit icma.org/OccupyMovement