Politics & Government
Police: Occupy Occupation 'Not Part of the Deal'
Officers, city councilman were negotiating with demonstrators.
Santa Cruz police want to have a balanced response to but there's no formal plan to address the occupation of an empty bank building, the police spokesman said Wednesday.
“The first line is always dialogue," SCPD spokesman Zach Friend said shortly before 6 p.m., just before riot cops arrived at the abandoned Coast Commercial Bank in downtown Santa Cruz.
However the turn of events Wednesday was a surprise. Occupiers broke into the building through the roof and barricaded themselves inside.
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“This is just not part of the deal," Friend said.
Police and city councilman Don Lane are involved in negotiation with protesters.
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