Occupy Capitol Hill | Occupiers move in at Seattle Central with march, party, good neighbor rules

A big part of this story is logistics. Signage is a good start (Images: CHS)

Occupy Seattle moved in to its new Capitol Hill home Saturday night at Capitol Hill's Seattle Central Community College with a 300+-people strong march and plans for a Halloween weekend street party to get things started with a new base camp at the corner of Pine and Broadway.

SCCC president Dr. Paul Killpatrick, his head of security and staff looked on as the school's plaza filled with marching protesters -- including several of the school's faculty members. On Friday, Killpatrick announced the school would allow the Occupiers to remain on campus saying the Washington Administrative Code "allows this occupation to take place."

Occupy Seattle organizers announced their intention to move their base camp to Capitol Hill from Westlake Park following a Monday night vote of the group's general assembly. Protesters had faced unfriendly conditions during their weeks in Westlake due to near-constant police presence and other factors. Protesters have said they plan to sleep and organize at SCCC at night but protest at Westlake during the day.

Move-in night was planned to get started with an 8p tent raising followed by a street party being promoted on flyers during the march.

Hay was spread over areas of the school's lawn as shade/rain shelters were set up. A food and logistics tent was erected on the plaza bricks. Earlier in the day, people were on campus cleaning up leaves and getting the area ready for the campers. It's not clear how many people will set up tents on the first night and how that crowd will grow or shrink in coming days. Logistics of things like where the portable toilets were going to be placed -- and when they would arrive -- also bear watching.

You can keep tabs on announcements from the group via http://occupyseattle.org/ or by following the hash #occupyseattle via Twitter.

In addition to the impacts for SCCC, nearby residents and businesses are also ready for some interesting days. At SCCC, Occupy Seattle organizers have posted "SCCC Good Neighbor Statement" flyers:

Occupy Seattle (OS) supports all those that are struggling to make public education accessible for students and workers of all ages and backgrounds.

Many of us involved with OS are students from SCCC and other institutions of higher education. OS stands in solidarity with students and staff on campus and people who struggle against the policies that make education inaccessible--through tuition hikes, cuts to staff, and hikes in transportation fees. We stand in solidarity with those amongst us who have been shut out of campuses because of tuition hikes and those who have lost their jobs or suffered worse working conditions because of budget cuts.

OS will be respectful of the learning environment of the campus, this involves being peaceful and respectful while in route to the restrooms during school hours and respectful treatment of the facilities in the building.

OS will refrain from tagging or the defacement of land or structures at SCCC.

OS also respects the work of the custodial staff and request that all people associated with OS, agrees to clean up after ourselves so as not to overload the custodial staff. The porta-potties available at the site or offsite will also serve to not overload existing indoor facilities.

OS supports the FARMERS MARKET and wants to make our occupation supportive of their use of SCCC space.

Camping on the plaza should cease on Sunday during Farmers Market and breakdown hours will be 6:30am-5pm on those days.

OS supports good relations with our neighbors, supports a healthy learning environment, as well as the healthy need for OS campers to sleep.

In order to fulfill our commitment to being good neighbors as well as to allow other occupiers the sleep they need, OS will limit excessive noisemaking (i.e. drumming/music/loud behavior) to the following hours:
Mon-Thurs : 5pm-9pm
Fri 5pm-11pm
Sat 10am-11pm
Sun 10am-9pm

Drugs/alcohol/smoking policy:

OS wants to create an environment that is conducive for people of all ages, all disabilities as well as people of all different backgrounds.

OS is aware of SCCC's policy of no drugs or alcohol on campus and we will do our best to inform new occupiers of this

We will also inform new occupiers that at SCCC, smoking is limited to designated areas (which will be marked in at least two areas at the perimeter of OS SCCC encampment)

OS asks all individuals associated with OS to support the mission of the occupation and be responsible both for themselves as well as for the people around them

Behaviors should be accountable to the safety and well being of all occupiers.

Meanwhile, saying "Community Colleges are the 99%," American Federation of Teachers-Seattle, Local 1789, representing the teachers of Seattle's community colleges, released a statement in support of the camp.

The move up the Hill was mostly a march and protest though at least one man carried a large, boxed sun/rain canopy over his shoulder. Early Capitol Hill Halloween weekend revelers looked on as the group traveled up Pike's eastbound lane and then made its way up Broadway to the SCCC campus.

"Welcome home everybody," one woman shouted over the bullhorn as the group arrived.

Dr. Killpatrick looks on