The tents will return, and so will the civil disobedience.
That was the message from representatives of Occupy Atlanta, who held a news conference Thursday morning to discuss their plans to set up another encampment within Atlanta later in the day. Organizers are keeping the camp's location a closely-guarded secret for now.
But this time, the Atlanta site will be beyond the reach of Mayor Kasim Reed, organizers said. That suggests they are in negotiations to set up on private property.
Police evicted the protesters from Woodruff Park in downtown Atlanta early Wednesday morning, arresting more than 50 people after several weeks of exemptions to park rules.
"We are going to maintain a presence in this city," said Latron Price, a spokesman for the group. "We will continue."
Price said Occupy Atlanta is in negotiations to take up residence at its new location.
"We want to make sure we have a strategic plan and the community can understand exactly what our mission is," he said.
The group has cited homelessness, foreclosures, income inequality and joblessness among its reasons for organizing. Over the next two weeks, the goal will be to develop "clear, concise demands for the city and state," said Tim Franzen, a spokesman for the group. "We see the importance of getting people ready."
Eventually, Occupy Atlanta may try to re-occupy Woodruff Park, which is currently closed for cleaning and assessment, but is scheduled to re-open Thursday afternoon.
"There will be a breaking of city code," Franzen said. "This is the people's park."
A.J. Robinson, president of Central Atlanta Progress, told a breakfast crowd on Thursday that, "My guess is we haven't seen the end of Occupy Atlanta." The Atlanta Downtown Improvement District, a public-private partnership founded by Central Atlanta Progress, does routine maintenance and capital improvements at the park.
If protesters try to camp in the park after its 11 p.m. closing time, Reed has said there will be no more exceptions to the rules.
"The park hours are going to be what they are by ordinance," he told Channel 2 Action News on Wednesday. "Anyone who violates that ordinance will be arrested."
Occupy Atlanta's latest plan is to march from Woodruff Park to the homeless shelter at Peachtree and Pine streets at about 5 p.m., and then gather at 8 p.m. for "general assembly" in Centennial Olympic Park on Thursday. From there, protesters plan to march to their new camp.
About ten people affiliated with Occupy Atlanta showed up at the 11 a.m. news conference. Asked where the rest of the group was, Franzen said they were "working, getting ready."
The group has set up its headquarters in the offices of the American Friends Service Committee, a Quaker-founded group housed in a building three blocks from Woodruff Park.
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