Friday, February 3, 2012

Rally today in support of cleaning up the Humboldt County courthouse

A rally organized by community members who say they want the front of the courthouse cleaned up and unfenced is scheduled for this afternoon at the Humboldt County Courthouse.

Organizer Julie Salminen said the purpose of the rally is to show the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors and the Eureka City Council that people want the area restored.

”We want it cleaned up over there,” Salminen said.

More than 250 people are anticipated to attend the rally from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Salminen said people are tired of the Occupiers that have taken over the courthouse entrance. She said people should be allowed to protest but that things have gotten out of control.

...Interim Eureka Police Chief Murl Harpham said his office spent $8,600 in overtime for officers in October and that the amount of patrol hasn't changed at the courthouse.

”We're there six to seven times a day. Over the weekend, we were called out 11 times,” Harpham said. “It's an every day thing.”

He said the police have logged close to 100 arrests and about 70 citations since the start of the Occupy Movement in front of the courthouse, dating back to late September.