Occupy Chapel Hill moves off of Franklin Street

Franklin Street became officially unoccupied Tuesday.

In what many described as a bittersweet event, members of the Occupy Chapel Hill/Carrboro movement ended their encampment at Peace and Justice Plaza — emerging from their tents with blankets, board games and coffee mugs, objects accumulated during the movement’s occupation of nearly three months.

“It’s taken a tremendous amount of energy from a small number of people to keep this going,” occupier Stephanie Daugherty said.

But the occupiers are not giving up their cause.

“I do see it as an opportunity for Occupy Chapel Hill to expand and reinvigorate,” Daugherty said. “We’ll still be meeting. We’ll still be politically active.”

The Occupy Chapel Hill/ Carrboro movement will continue to gather at the Peace and Justice Plaza for General Assembly meetings. Occupiers will also begin roving encampments, where they will set up camp for a day in various public spaces and private spaces when they receive permission.

“You’re still going to see tents,” Daugherty said. “You’re just not going to see them right here.”

Unlike the Yates Building occupation that prompted a police raid and led to weeks of controversy, Occupy Chapel Hill/Carrboro was not disbanded by law enforcement.

“Occupy Chapel Hill/Carrboro will make history by becoming one of the very few, longstanding Occupy encampments in the country to peacefully and voluntarily transition to a new phase in its evolution,” an Occupy press release states.

Although the group participated in a number of protests against the Yates police action, including a march Monday, members have had a good relationship with the town.

Still, many Chapel Hill residents said they won’t miss Occupy’s Franklin Street location.

“I’m happy they are moving,” Chapel Hill resident Gary Kahn said. “I’m actually one of the 99 percent. But their cause should be in a major city.”

James Stimson, a political science professor at UNC, said public opinion of the Occupy movement is likely negative or neutral.

“The public comes to dislike the demonstrators more than being impressed by their cause,” Stimson said.

Freshman Jhenielle Reynolds, said she thinks hype over the movement has died down.

“I think after a while people kind of lose focus and become disinterested,” she said.

But members disagree.

“I think we have really taken great strides in educating the town,” occupier Lila Little said. She said she hopes the next phase, Occupy Chapel Hill/Carrboro 2.0, will attract new members.

“We may attract people who may not have been comfortable with this one location on Franklin Street,” Little said.

Though Chapel Hill police eventually quieted them, occupiers celebrated their encampment and their future with a Tuesday night dance party.

“We’re not here to do an encampment,” occupier Rob Haith said. “We’re here to change the world.”

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