After camping out for three months, Occupy Charlotte has been asked to leave.
On Monday, the Charlotte city council voted nearly unanimously to end the Occupy encampment and was met with outrage from dozens of Occupiers.
“Shame, shame, shame!” protesters chanted when all but one member voted in favor of the ordinance.
John Autry, the only council member to vote against the ordinance, expressed concern about unfair prosecution from police.
Occupy Charlotte protesters spoke out against the ordinance, which bans camping on city property, since its introduction to the city council on Jan. 3.
Occupy Charlotte now has until Jan. 30 to end its encampment in front of Charlotte’s City Hall.
But after the meeting, protesters chanted, “Evict us, we’ll multiply, Occupy will never die.”
Council member Andy Dulin urged protestors to respond peacefully to the ordinance.
“I hope protesters see this council has listened — the ordinance has changed in many ways since Jan. 3,” he said.
The ordinance was created to update city codes for large events, specifically for the Democratic National Convention in September, said City Attorney Bob Hagemann.
In addition to camping, the ordinance bans possession of various items such as chains, backpacks, projectiles, body armor and wire during extraordinary events — large events of national or international significance that will attract a large number of people.
Many Occupy Charlotte members at a Jan. 9 public forum said the ordinance infringes upon free speech rights and could result in profiling and unnecessary searches.
The ordinance also bans any backpack, duffle bag, satchel or cooler with the intent to conceal weapons, and wearing scarves or masks to hide one’s identity while committing a crime.
Autry said before the vote that he was unsure how police officers would determine intent.
Under the amended version of the ordinance, if the suspect proves that the possession of a banned item is for a legitimate reason, there will not be a punishment.
Many city council members said their duty was to protect residents of Charlotte, as well as protect people’s rights.
“Our job is to keep the city safe,” council member Beth Pickering said. “We are weighing the balance between free speech and safety.”
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