Occupy Austin cost city $110k and counting

Occupy Austin protester goes to jail over a food table.

AUSTIN, TEXAS – Occupy Austin protesters, who are fighting what they say is economic justice, are hitting Austin taxpayers in their wallets.

At the Austin Public Safety Commission meeting on Monday, it was revealed that the protest has cost the city $110,000 and rising.

Most of that money has gone to paying overtime to Austin police officers who have had to divert resources and manpower to the protests at Austin City Hall.

The protest began on October 6 and a small number of protesters still remain.

Police have arrested 71 people since October 6, most for criminal trespassing.

According to Austin Police Chief of Staff David Carter, the protest is consuming valuable resources. APD has had to keep four to eight officers on site around the clock.

“There are a lot of issues in this city and so sometimes we have the luxury of moving resources and other times, looking at other events, other things going on, we may need to call in overtime,”  said Carter.

Critics say the city has bent over backwards to accommodate the protesters. The city has had to set up regular pressure cleaning schedules to clean the protesters urine and feces on the plaza. Several were arrested earlier this month for refusing to temporarily in order for cleaning crews to work.

They city had also allowed protesters to set up tents and camp out on the plaza overnight as well as set up feeding tables.

Last week, police stepped in to actually help the group organize and elect leaders so that the city had people they could negotiate with.

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