The group of protestors now occupying Lee Park in Charlottesville will be allowed to stay through Friday night. That word came late Tuesday afternoon from City Hall.
Two of Occupy Charlottesville's organizers applied for a permit to keep the group in Lee Park Tuesday afternoon and received approval for the permit from Brian Daly, the Director of Charlottesville Parks and Recreation.
Charlottesville City Spokesperson Ric Barrick said, "That will allow them to stay over night for the next three days and there is the possibility and the right of the parks director to let them stay for an extended period."
City code says anyone without a permit from Charlottesville Parks and Recreation has to leave the property by curfew which is 11 p.m.. The Occupy Charlottesville movement has been camped out in Lee Park since Saturday.
Occupy Charlottesville member Evan Knappenberger said, "We want to follow the spirit of the law which is to keep this place decent and clean and orderly."
The group is a spin off of Occupy Wall Street protesting corporate greed and excess. A handful of tents sit in the park with dozens of people pouring in and out at any given hour.
"I think it's more than just solidarity now. I think we're really starting our own community movement," said another member, Jamie Morgan.
But the group plans to stay and protest for as long as they can, some say months.
Jon Grainger, also of Occupy Charlottesville added, "I think the city has done absolutely everything they can to accommodate us. We really do appreciate that. Things could have gone different ways."
No word at this point if the group will be able to stay for months. They are also talking about bringing in portable toilets to keep the place sanitary.
Charlottesville Park and Recreation Director Brian Daly says that they will provide the group with a contact for those portable toilets and will also assist in "sitting" a unit in the park or near the park.
In addition, the Jefferson Area Tea Party has applied for a similar permit to rally in McGuffy Park on Friday. That permit is now in the mail. The tea party says their rally is not a counter protest to the Occupy Charlottesville camp out.
