Occupy Philadelphia stays calm, hopes turnout grows

Aside from honks of support from passing cars, Occupy Philadelphia remained mostly quiet for much of its second day as organizers planned events and demonstrators settled in for what could be months of camping on City Hall's Dilworth Plaza.

Crowds appeared thinner than on Thursday morning, when an estimated 700 people descended on the plaza to launch the movement, but the group hoped to draw more support over the weekend.

Participants marched around City Hall twice on Friday evening, and at 2 p.m. Saturday, they plan to march from City Hall to the Liberty Bell, according to Occupy Philadelphia representatives.

The protest, spurred by the Occupy Wall Street encampment that started almost three weeks ago in New York City, was set in motion to draw attention to what demonstrators see as the growing imbalance between a small number of America's rich and powerful and the rest of the country. Outposts have since emerged in a number of cities around the country, and organizers say there is no set end date.

On Friday, rumors swirled that the city would screen the Phillies game for demonstrators, but Mark McDonald, spokesman for Mayor Nutter, debunked those reports.

McDonald said that as of Friday night, Occupy Philadelphia had not yet obtained a valid permit to demonstrate, meaning the city could not offer a generator or entertain other requests. McDonald said he was confident the group would file for and receive a permit soon.

"They've been law-abiding; there have been no arrests or citations; they've controlled their site very well; they have cooperated with police," McDonald said. "They're exercising their right to free speech, and they're going about it in a very mature way."

The event in New York first drew publicity after several high-profile clashes between demonstrators and police, including reports of police aggression and the arrests of hundreds of protesters.

Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles H. Ramsey has struck a markedly different tone, saying police will work with demonstrators and assist with marches. Above all, Ramsey has emphasized that officers are bound to protect the demonstrators' right to protest peacefully. Ramsey has also had the First Amendment read at roll calls and periodically over the police radio system as a reminder.

The reaction from Philadelphia City Hall has also been in sharp contrast with New York City's response. On Friday, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said on his weekly radio show that the Occupy Wall Street protesters were trying to hurt the city's economy.

Nutter, meanwhile, greeted protesters in the early hours of Friday, shook hands, and offered words of support.