Long Beach police early today praised the 'OccupyLong Beach' demonstration downtown that drew 300 people "peaceful and orderly" and required no arrests or tickets.
"The police department ... supports the right of every person to assemble and demonstrate in a lawful manner, which was the case in today's event," states a news release issued by the Long Beach Police Department.
The gathering took place in Lincoln Park, beside the downtown Long Beach main library, where shortly after noon, the group marched north on Pacific Avenue to Fourth Street, police said.
Demonstraters then moved to Pine Avenue, then to Ocean Boulevard, before returning to Lincoln Park, where a group stayed the remainder of the afternoon, chanting and holding signs aloft, police said.
At night, a small group tried to pitch tents, but removed them when asked by police, since camping at the park would violate a city law. Occupy Long Beach members stated on their official Facebook page that they moved in order to not get arrested, which would reduce their presence to the public.
However, demonstraters remained on the sidewalk through the evening, to continue the demonstration, police said.
"Today’s demonstration was a display of mutual respect between police and the demonstrating community," the release states.
"Demonstrators were able to exercise their First Amendment rights to freedom of speech while obeying all applicable laws," police stated.
