Occupy Miami leaders reach deal with city

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MIAMI, Nov. 11 (UPI) -- Occupy Miami protesters came to a peaceful deal with the county about relocating tents in a plaza in front of the Miami-Dade Government Center.

The occupy protesters, who have been camping out at the government center since Oct. 15, received a letter from Juan C. Silva, city plant manager, saying the group must move by 5 p.m. Thursday so the county could do previously scheduled work on the building, The Miami Herald reported.

"It's a safety hazard for them to be there," said Suzy Trutie, a county spokeswoman. "We're hoping for a peaceful resolution."

As 5 p.m. came and went Thursday, about 70 protesters and many police officers stood around to find out what would happen.

"I'm just waiting to see what's going down," Turner Nunn, 18, said, "but probably most of them are going to move."

The Miami protesters' problems seemed to come from a permit the group signed when they first set up camp. On the permit, which the county signed off on, protesters put a question mark where an end date should have gone, which they felt made the permit indefinite.

Turtie said the permit exists on a week-to-week basis, which is stated on the form.

"We're trying to be good stewards," she said, "even though they haven't filed every week."

At 5:30 p.m., Jonathan Brand, 24, emerged from a meeting with Silva about moving the group. Occupy protesters agreed to move to the north lawn, about 50 feet from the plaza, until construction is done.

"A solution has been worked out and we have momentum on our side," Brand said.

The county said it will not try to remove protesters for at least another week.

"Miami is with us. The occupy movement all over the country is with us in solidarity," Brand said. "The fight has just begun."