Occupy St. Louis issues its own list of ordinance violations

Anti-Wall Street protestors who have camped in Kiener Plaza for more than a month are blasting Mayor Francis Slay for "heed[ing] the complaints of the corporate groups who control the city" and calling for their ouster from the park."

The mayor wrote on his blog last week that Occupy St. Louis protestors could not remain in the plaza forever. Slay said although he supported Occupy's cause, the number of complaints about the encampment had started to grow. He said he planned to give the protestors a list of ordinances they were violating.

Occupy protestors today released an open letter outlining what they see as the city's most egregious ordinance violations. They include the widespread use of tax incentives, the towing scandal that led to the resignation of former police chief Joe Mokwa, and the 2007 demotion of former fire chief Sherman George.

Protestors say many of the violations show an inconsistent application of the laws that Slay is attempting to use against them. The letter also demonstrates a willingness, though not explicitly, to remain in the Plaza.

In a new blog post on Monday, Slay writes that at the end of a conversation, he expects Occupy protestors to "still be in Kiener, but in compliance with a list of ordinances which we have generally overlooked for weeks." A post on the protestors' Facebook page indicates a meeting with the mayor is scheduled for tomorrow.