Occupy DC Update: 31 Arrested

The Occupy DC twitter feed featured cheerful updates yesterday about their building of a non-permanent wooden structure, which was promptly torn down and everyone in it arrested. It sounds like it was an exciting evening:

One of the protesters landed with a flamboyant somersault on the inflated mattress. He was arrested as onlookers cheered as if he were a gymnast who had just stuck a landing. A few more protesters were then removed one at a time in the cherry picker basket.

The rest of the camp was undisturbed, and it doesn't sound like it go too tense. I think I have to agree with the police on this one - building a meeting hall in the park seems like it's crossing a line for park use, especially since it would take up the last open corner of McPherson. We visited Occupy DC last weekend, and while they've got some good things going on, including a shiny new library full of fantastic information, it feels the same way it felt when I visited over fall break: there's no momentum, and it's hard to say just what they're trying to accomplish. They released a pretty great declaration recently, so no one can say it's unclear what their goals are; I guess it just doesn't feel like the occupying technique is particularly effective for them the longer it goes on.