U.S. mayors losing patience with Occupy protests

Some U.S. cities have begun cracking down on the Occupy Wall St.-inspired protests that have spread across the continent. Police in Oakland dispersed protesters late Tuesday by filling the city’s core with tear gas, while officials in San Francisco have warned protesters in a makeshift camp they could be arrested if they don’t leave. Earlier this week, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed ordered police to arrest the dozens of protesters occupying a downtown park. In Democratic-leaning Chicago, meanwhile, the Occupy protesters have requested 24-hour access to Grant Park and demanded that charges be dropped against the more than 300 protesters arrested there in the past weeks.

The New York Times