‘Occupy City Hall’ encampment in New York cleared out overnight by riot shield-equipped NYPD officers

PROTESTERS who had camped out in front of New York City Hall for nearly a month were cleared out in the early hours of Wednesday morning by cops in riot gear.

Protesters demonstrating in the encampment, which had been dubbed “Occupy City Hall,” set up shop in the area on June 24 to demand that the NYPD be defunded.

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Police in riot gear cleared out ‘Occupy City Hall’ protesters early Wednesday morning[/caption]

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Protesters said tents, tarps and other belongings were damaged by police[/caption]

The area had recently attracted a number of homeless people, according to police.

Uniformed officers with riot shields moved in to clear out tents and people from the area around 4am Wednesday, according to NBC.

Those inside the camp were reportedly given a 10 minute warning before cops in heavy gear moved into the area on Lafayette Street and Leonard.

Protesters told NBC that tents, tarps and other belongings were destroyed by the officers.

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Those inside the encampment were reportedly given a 10 minute warning before cops started clearing people and tents out[/caption]

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Protesters reportedly vacated the area shortly before dawn Wednesday[/caption]

NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio said he, NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea and others made a final call to dismantle the encampment late Tuesday.

Thirteen people were reportedly taken into custody as cops cleared out the area. Only one person is expected to be arrested, for allegedly throwing a brick at an officer, while the others would receive summonses, Shea said.

Protesters set up the Occupy City Hall demonstration to demand the city slash the NYPD’s budget by at least $1billion and dedicate those funds to other social services like education, healthcare and homelessness. The demonstration sprung from the Black Lives Matter movement and recent nationwide calls for racial justice and police reform in the US.

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Thirteen people were reportedly taken into custody as cops cleared out the area, however, only one is expected to be arrested[/caption]

However, the encampment remained weeks after a city budget passed on July 1, with NYC lawmakers agreeing to reallocate $1billion from the police budget within the next year.

Some protesters, who said the steep cuts didn’t go far enough, remained in the encampment until it was forcibly taken down.

After some initial clashes with cops early Wednesday, protesters vacated the area shortly before dawn — and the cops followed shortly thereafter.

Speaking about Occupy City Hall on Tuesday, de Blasio said the city doesn’t allow encampments and the police were assessing the situation on a daily basis.

“There is a balance we always strike between the right to protest and especially public safety. And I always put public safety first while respecting constitutional rights,” he said, noting the decision on whether to interfere with the encampment was ultimately up to the police.

The area is expected to be on “lockdown” for several weeks as it is cleaned up, police said.