Occupation Over; Calm Returns to D.C. Parks

McPherson Square, Freedom Plaza clear of protesters

After months of messy crowds, tent cities and confrontations with police calm has returned to two parks in downtown Washington.

Occupy DC and its supporters filled McPherson Square off K Street in downtown Washington demanding economic justice for the now-famous 99 percent. The demonstrators frequently took to city streets in the middle of afternoon rush hours to make their points, but now quiet has returned. The demonstrators gone.

Birds and other animals have regained their resting spaces as the Park Service has put up fences to help restore the natural areas.

“The fences are up right now just to try to restore some of the grass that had been destroyed during the occupy movement,” Park Police Sgt. Paul Brooks said. “We're just trying to get the park back to the way it was prior to.”

Even on a rainy Tuesday, the park was again a popular cut-through and pleasant walk in a noisy city, and the quiet is good news for both nearby businesses and pedestrians.

A few blocks away, Freedom Plaza on Pennsylvania Avenue also is an open space again. Gone are the tents and encampments that were there for months.

Occupy DC Leaders told The Washington Post they're leaving the park but will keep up the social justice fight.

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