The midnight deadline for Occupy Boston protesters to leave Dewey Square has passed.
A judge lifted a restraining order on Wednesday that could have prevented the city of Boston from evicting Occupy Boston members from their encampment.
There was a festive atmosphere as the deadline passed, with protesters chanting, “We are the 99 percent”. They even held a dance with a live band.
At about 12:45 a.m. protesters sat down in the middle of Atlantic Ave forcing traffic to come to a halt.
Some of the protesters began cleaning up their campsites and moving out Thursday, but the crowd just kept growing as midnight approached.
The protesters were prepared for police action, and many were wearing gas masks, protective goggles and practiced forming a human chain.
Although the protesters were planning for a raid, the Boston Police were not. Shortly after 1 a.m. Boston Police Superintendent William Evans walked through the camp telling protesters that police would not clear Dewey Square.
No one seems to be guessing what's next for Occupy Boston, as they seem quite content at the moment to enjoy the party and the relief that they aren't facing possible violent arrests. One thing is certain, what Boston's mayor saw as a relatively small 'problem' in Dewey Square has now grown substantially. They also have their own brass band, and they are quite good, actually.
