We\'ve got this confirmed by several sources. Zuccotti Park - Liberty Plaza - is private property. It\'s also open to the public. The NYPD can\'t push people off of private property that\'s open to the public.
Recently, the park\'s owners claimed that they had the right to remove anyone from the park that violated the park\'s rules. Specifically, they banned sleeping bags, tarps, and personal property. My current understanding (and what the NYPD seems to be saying) is that the NYPD cannot enforce such private rules. Private security would have to do so. No one wants the bad press and law-suits that would result from attacking the protesters with private security forces, especially when there are plenty of us there without personal property, tarps, and sleeping bags. Even if they pushed a few of the people out, there would be people back the next day. I\'d be one of them.
So the situation seems to be a stalemate at this point, with neither the NYPD or the park\'s owners willing to take steps to go after the protesters, especially when the police brutality we\'ve experienced legitimized us.
Source: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/09/30/1021451/-Here-comes-the-Cavalry-occupywallst-day-12-report
