Occupy Portland gets deadline to leave

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PORTLAND, Ore., Nov. 10 (UPI) -- The mayor of Portland, Ore., Thursday announced an Occupy camp downtown would be closed this weekend due to deteriorating discipline among the demonstrators.

Mayor Sam Adams told reporters Occupy Portland was losing control of the security situation at Terry Schrunk Plaza and demonstrators would be evicted as 12:01 a.m. PST Sunday.

"Crime, especially reported assaults, has increased in the area," Adams said. "Occupy has had a considerable time to share its movement's message with the public but has lost control of the camps it has created."

The Portland Police Bureau said in a written statement officers continued to make arrests and issue citations for drinking and drug use, and one demonstrator overdosed Wednesday on heroin allegedly purchased at the camp.

"During this police and medical response, nearly 100 people were gathered around the tent and not following police direction to allow medical personnel room to work on the patient," the statement said. "Officers worked with the Occupy Portland Peace & Safety Team to assist in moving people away from the patient."

The Oregonian said Adams told a news conference the city and the federal government, which controls the plaza, were prepared to make arrests to clear the site.

Six protesters were arrested in Norfolk, Va., Thursday as police disbanded the Occupy Norfolk camp in the city's downtown, officials said.

"People were woken up at 6 a.m., told that they had three hours to get their stuff out," said Rex Bonney, one of the protesters, told The (Norfolk) Virginian-Pilot.

Protesters from the original Occupy Wall Street encampment are taking their protest to Washington, beginning a two-week march to the nation's capital that is timed to coincide with the congressional supercommittee's Nov. 23 deadline to reach a deal on slashing the federal deficit, Politico said.