The Hague Occupy campers can stay, but not at night

Occupy protestors camped out on the Malieveld open space near parliament may not stay in their tents overnight while heavy frost is forecast, judges said on Sunday.


The city council wanted to clear the camp, saying it was too risky to allow people to sleep outside. The same rules which apply to the homeless during periods of very cold weather should also apply to Occupy protestors, the council had argued.
The court ruled that the campers must leave their tents between 22.00 and 08.00 hours. Two night watchmen will make sure the camp is left empty. Some 20 people have been living at the camp since it was set up in October.
Local councils can evoke emergency powers to take in people sleeping outside if five successive nights of frost are forecast.

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