Occupy Dayton protest must relocate for Grande Illumination

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By Steve Bennish, Staff Writer Updated 1:25 AM Friday, November 11, 2011

Occupy Dayton, the local Wall Street and establishment protest linked with other protests throughout the nation, is being asked to temporarily move from Courthouse Square downtown for the Nov. 25 Grande Illumination.

The request came Thursday from Sandy Gudorf, president of the Downtown Dayton Partnership, the business group that organizes the holiday ceremonial Christmas tree-lighting and festivities. “We respect their right to protest,” she said. “The kickoff of the holiday season isn’t the right place to make a political statement.”

But Occupy Dayton won’t make a decision on whether to move just yet, said protester John Tall. He said Occupy Dayton will hold a general assembly Saturday, when the matter will be discussed.

Gudorf said the group is welcome to keep an information booth at the site, and can move back into Courthouse Square after the ceremonies end.

Amy Wiedeman, assistant Montgomery County administrator, also asked that the protesters move from the site for a few days until the Illumination event is cleared from the square. One option, Gudorf said, would be to move the protest to Dave Hall Plaza, a block down Main Street. The square is county property, and the county issues permission for its use.

Occupy Dayton doesn’t have official permission for their half-dozen tents, but the Partnership has completed an application process to use the square. Gudorf said she’d like Occupy Dayton to temporarily relocate from Wednesday, Nov. 23, until Friday, Nov. 25, when the Illumination ends and the typically large crowd departs.

“We all can’t fit. We need to work with each other,” she said.

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