Occupy Philly Has 5PM Deadline To Break Camp

The clock is ticking down for Occupy Philadelphia, whose members have been ordered to dismantle their camp.

Protesters face a deadline of 5 p.m. Sunday to remove dozens of tents and personal belongings from City Hall's Dilworth Plaza.

Mayor Michael Nutter gave the demonstrators 48 hours' notice to pack up on Friday because a $50 million construction project is about to begin on the plaza. But some do not want to move.

One faction of protesters has city permission to continue demonstrating across the street at the Thomas Paine Plaza beginning Monday morning. Their permit doesn't allow overnight camping.

Occupy Philadelphia opposes economic inequality and corporate influence on government. It has been largely peaceful so far, without any violent confrontations with police.

Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, police in Los Angeles aren't saying much about what tactics they may use if Occupy Los Angeles protesters refuse, as expected, to vacate their encampment by a midnight deadline.

Authorities do say they won't be sweeping through right at the deadline arresting everyone in sight. But police say they do expect to have to make arrests.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa announced Friday that despite his sympathy for the protesters' cause, it was time for the camp of nearly 500 tents to leave for the sake of public health and safety.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)