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SALT LAKE CITY — Occupy Salt Lake activists seeking to protest corporate greed will now be able to do so in close proximity to the city's Wells Fargo, U.S. Bank, and Chase Bank buildings, as well as Goldman Sachs' central office.
Salt Lake City officials and police have worked out a deal that will allow the small group of protesters who have been camping on private property to occupy a portion of Gallivan Plaza just off Main Street. A larger group of protesters has been camped at Pioneer Park for more than a month.
"You'll actually have better access to the news media and all the financial institutions up and down Main Street," Salt Lake Police Chief Chris Burbank told the protesters at about 6 p.m., Tuesday. "We're giving you what in my mind is a prime spot."
Protesters are now free to camp out overnight on the new location, which is a breezeway between the Wells Fargo building and Utah One building, where Chase is located. Official permits are being processed.
A handful of tents popped up over the weekend on a vacant lot at about 145 S. State, when protesters wanting to camp near the Federal Reserve branch couldn't get a permit.
The company that owns the land sent a representative Monday asking the protesters to leave.
Seth Walker, who's been camping out at the privately owned site, said he's very appreciative of how accommodating the city and police have been. There are people in other cities, he said, who would "dream of this diplomacy."
Shortly after the chief's remarks, Walker said the group would vote on whether or not they would move, but he anticipated the protesters would decide to take the city up on its new offer.
Burbank said if protesters remained on the private property where they've been camped, they would risk citation or arrest Wednesday.
"I don't see people risking arrest," Walker said.
Burbank credited the land's owner along with the mayor for the help and asked protesters to continue to be peaceful and remain drug and alcohol free while on the site.
"This is a two-way street," he said as protesters nodded their heads. "I'm going to hold you to that."
Email:mfarmer@ksl.com
