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Colton passes ordinance to head off future Occupy encampments
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File photo: Colton city officials fear the Occupy Riverside movement could take hold in their city. In an effort to quell any Occupy Wall Street-related protests, its city council passed an ordinance that prohibits camping on public property.
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Colton officials have acted to prevent Occupy Wall Street-style encampments from taking hold there. Its city council unanimously approved an ordinance that bans camping on public property, despite objections from some Occupy protesters.
The closest Occupiers have gotten to pitching tents on Colton territory is 15 miles away in Riverside, where two rag-tag encampments have taken root. But city leaders say they're worried the demonstrations could spread to their city. They point to escalating violence and tensions between police and Occupy encampments in other American cities – including Riverside and Los Angeles – as justification for the action.
The Colton ordinance makes it a misdemeanor to camp on public property. That includes city parks and the grounds of government buildings. Violators could face fines of up to a $1,000 and six months in jail. The approval vote happened amid protests from some Inland Occupiers who say that they had no plans to camp in Colton – but that the city's action has made it a possible target for future demonstrations.
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