Occupy LA Still Standing After Tense But Peaceful Standoff With LAPD Overnight [UPDATED]

Will the Los Angeles Police Department, under orders from Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, conduct a "raid" on the Occupy LA camp at City Hall at 12:01 a.m. Monday? We will be watching and liveblogging as the eviction deadline comes and goes.

11:05 AM L.A. Now reports that three protesters are filing "a federal injunction that would prevent police from dismantling the Occupy L.A. encampment around City Hall." The complaint was to be filed at 10am this morning.

9:05 AM Protestors have built a tree house at the encampment. Police Chief Charlie Beck told KTLA this morning, "We will move people out of that park if they won't go." Beck added that there is no concrete eviction deadline.

7:07 AM LAPD notifies to all units that the tactical alert for the City of L.A. has now been canceled.

6:55 AM After nearly 12 hours of continuous broadcasting, the OccupyFreedomLA Ustream feed has gone dark in the last few minutes.

Villaraigosa updating his Twitter feed with his media appearances this morning. These were all booked last night, based on information we saw online overnight:

6:45 AM Mayor Villaraigosa is making the rounds with news outlets this morning doing interviews. According to KTLA the LAPD did not arrest, but merely detained three people. We have not received any information on Occupy LA from the LAPD via their email media alerts since Thanksgiving Day, and they only used their text message notification system since their one and only message sent at 3:23 p.m. on Thursday.

6:36 AM Good morning! We are learning that the camp at City Hall park is still standing, as are many Occupy LA protesters. Streets are re-opened in the area around City Hall, and the LAPD is pulling away from the scene. Occupy LA participants are declaring their efforts a victory. We hear there were "several" arrests (one figure is four, via blogdowntown on Twitter) of people who would not leave the streets after police declared an unlawful assembly sometime around 5 a.m.

3:13 AM LAPD's goal is to have streets clear by 4 AM.

3:06 AM Occupy LA participant Clark Davis and LAPD Cmdr Andy Smith agree to meet up in a few minutes to walk the streets around the park together and jointly ask people still in the street to clear out.

2:56 AM Both KTLA and ABC7 video feeds are down, and LAPD scanner mostly silent. We may take a nap break and see what sunrise brings. Seems like LAPD just working to control streets, not focused on clearing park of campers/protesters.

2:40 AM We are monitoring the following: #occupyla hashtag on Twitter, ABC7's live chopper footage, LAPD scanner, KPFK's intermittent live broadcasts, and the OccupyFreedomLA Ustream live feed. LAPD holding perimeter but it is not fully rigid, campers in park looking to pull an all-nighter. Streets still full of people milling about. No arrests so far.

2:24 AM Theories among Occupy LA participants include that an actual "raid" will not happen until Wednesday, or that a raid will happen at sunrise. Hearing unconfirmed report also that an injunction has been filed in a federal court and the matter will go before a judge first thing Monday morning. Numerous people report steady helicopter swarm above site. No local news channel airing live footage on TV; KTLA's stream has gone black, ABC7's is up. Ustreams are going strong from within camp/protest.

2:12 AM Some one has set up a tent in one of the intersections (1st/Spring?) as spotted via ABC7 helicopter:

2:04 AM Seeing some reports the lights are off inside the camp at City Hal Park. Some protesters engaging LAPD officers in discussions. LAPD's bottom line right now seems to be that if you are in the park, they will leave you alone, but they are trying to get "more real estate" (term used on LAPD scanner) and control and clear the streets around City Hall.

1:56 AM Heard on LAPD police scanner orders for officers to tighten skirmish line at perimeter, also to communicate with people at 1st and Spring that the police will move forward soon.

1:47 AM "Protesters "circling the park" hand in hand." via @DavidBegnaud:

1:41 AM Protesters are being told if they remain in the street, they will be arrested, if they are in the park, they will NOT be arrested.

1:39 AM Just FYI: Here is what is airing on our local TV channels: CBS 2 "Numb3rs"; NBC 4 "Extra"; KTLA "Sweet November"; ABC 7 "Brothers & Sisters"; KCAL 9 Comedy TV; FOX 11 Repeat of 10PM news; KCOP 13 "Everybody Loves Raymond."

1:33 AM Are the LAPD prepping for arrests? "'arrest formation' heard via #LAPD radio" reports @DavidCruiseSF. Protesters in the park are spotted locking arms to guard against LAPD arrival and possible arrest.

1:28 AM Some suggest as more police arrive, more protesters depart the protest scene. There is chanting, milling about, and "Majority of #OccupyLA is people checking their phones," quips @greenroomshow. An on-scene LAist contributor says in general there's "nothing much happening" in terms of activity.

1:20 AM Hearing reports that protesters are chanting "Police deserve a raise!" in the face of LAPD lining streets (Main and 2nd). Vandalism "LAPD! Murderers" spotted at LAPD HQ building. (Photo) LAPD has called for additional officers to handle the scene.

1:12 AM: "A small percentage seem hell bent on getting arrested by blocking the street and have no real interest in #OccupyLA" says @JohnHumber with this image:

1:04 AM "Protesters are announcing "If you are arrestable go to the South Plaza." #OccupyLA," according to reporter Angie Crouch. The media is being ordered to South side of park. Though noisy and crowded, so far there has been no reports of violence or arrests.

12:57 AM "#OccupyLA passing out vinegar soaked rags...just in case." (@KPCC)

12:55 AM "Was just told only exit out is eastbound on 1st," Tweeted LAist contributor Joey Maloney (@redlight24fps).

"Police in every direction." (antirawker via instagram)
12:47 AM From @eugeniedfranval "Found the riot cops at :1st and Broadway. 2 squads in riot gear batons out."

12:43 AM Temple and Main is blocked off by the LAPD. It appears a perimeter is being formed a block around City Hall to control the crowd. A "candlelight vigil" circle is seated in the intersection of 1st and Spring. According to KTLA reporter David Begnaud: "Crowd now burning money and throwing it into the street."

12:39 AM Intersection of Main and 1st shut down by LAPD.

Artist Shepard Fairey is on scene at Occupy LA (Mud Baron/LAist)
12:30 AM Among the people on scene is Shepard Fairey.12:25 AM LAPD officers with bean bag guns spotted. From the @OccupyFreedomLA Ustream reporter says it seems there are more people with cameras there than cops, though. "It's a media frenzy," she says. (NBC4 says they'll stay with live coverage, then switches back to "Access Hollywood," again.

12:20 AM Line of LAPD cruisers with lights and sirens on are moving north on Main Street, turning east on 1st Street, look to be going around to the other side, away from where protesters are blocking traffic. Occupy LA organizers are urging people milling on 1st to comply with the LAPD and move back to the park. Cops in riot gear begin to be seen on the street.

12:15 AM NBC4 now goes back to "Access Hollywood" as the LAPD begin to line the streets. People on 1st St. are shouting "Off the street, into the park," trying to rally people to leave the street.

12:11 AM From @ktla: #LAPD has just issued a city-wide tactical alert as the deadline for #OccupyLA protesters passes.

12:06 AM NBC4 switches to live coverage from City Hall.

Demonstrators are on the streets (Screenshot/ABC7)
From @CalFireNews: #LAPD Commander Smith telling Press where they can remain now off to sides of Plaza, anyone in park chooses to get arrested

12:00 AM: Crowds have spilled onto the streets outside City Hall and are milling about at the intersection of 1st and Spring. There is minimal LAPD presence so far. The media is out in full force, however major local network affiliates are now back to webstreaming live footage only, no on-air reports.

7:30-11:30 PM: Occupy LA's 12:01 Eviction Looms, Participants Plan to Stay, LAPD's Plans Unknown