Occupy San Francisco Deemed A Health Hazard As Protesters Vow To Relocate

San Francisco's public health department issued a sobering warning to the Occupy San Francisco community Tuesday, letting protesters know that the city has deemed their encampment an "imminent health hazard."

"Evidence of excrement, urine and vomit were observed throughout the park," officials said in a notice first reported by SFGate. "Fecal material was observed on stairs and grass. A container of human waste was observed along the Embarcadero side of the park."

The unsettling description didn't stop there.

"Several piles of vomit were observed along the Embarcadero side of the park," the department said. "Pile of feces and tampons found at a nearby pathway. Flies and urine observed along pathway."

Occupy SF posted a copy of the notice, signed by Police Chief Greg Suhr, on their website. "You are subject to arrest," it reads in bold lettering at the top. The message follows similar threats issued on October 11 and 16.

Meanwhile, the estimated 200 demonstrators who have been living in the tent community only plan to expand. The encampment members, currently situated along the Embarcadero in Justin Herman Plaza, vowed they will relocate their entire operation to a more centralized area to show support for the other Occupy Bay Area contingents, most notably violence-plagued Oakland.

CBS San Francisco reported:

"Standing in solidarity and with all of the other cities coming to San Francisco would be probably one of the most empowering things for this entire movement," said Christopher Ray, one of the most vocal and visible members of the San Francisco encampment.

Ray said the plan is to move the Occupy SF base of operations to the Civic Center a week from Saturday, setting up a new, much larger camp right across San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee's City Hall office.

"We'll still have a presence down at Justin Herman Plaza and at the Federal Reserve," said Ray. "But we will be taking Civic Center by November 5."

The protesters continue to defend the conditions in their camp, claiming San Francisco officials have been exaggerating the situation. "I think it is a bunch of bull [crap]," said Jeffrey Herwatt, who has been spending in Justin Herman Plaza, told SFGate. "There was some dog poo in a grassy area, but we cleaned it up."

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Comments

[KirkCLinn]

04:58 PM on 10/29/2011

I was just there and the worst I saw were SFPD just Standing doing Nothing. No Heath problems like this states except for the Homeless that are normally there doing this! So who says its the OSF doing it!

[JAY WILCOX]

09:02 PM on 10/27/2011

I can just smell it now , The foul mixture of patchouli and B.O. ... If any of you have ever been to a Greatful Dead or Phish concert ... You know exactly what I mean..

[aflevine]

04:55 PM on 10/27/2011

The protesters are non-violently provoking a response. Politicians are intentionally misdirecting the response. Go figure! The alternative is to complacently wait for the other shoe to fall.

I note that our President has been very careful not to give OWS anything more than superficial acknowledgement. Certainly nothing that would jeopardize his funding. His blind eye to mounting establishment violence is disappointing, It seems that he's not sufficiently provoked. I have to wonder how many of our people will die before the message will finally merit attention?

[capercaper]

05:18 PM on 10/27/2011

Urine, feces, vomit ... bedbugs, lice, rodents... not to mention breaking the law.

Passive aggressive violence . . .

[aflevine]

06:58 PM on 10/27/2011

Unregulated globalization, hunger, joblessness, lack of adequate medical care, resulting in unnecessary serious illness and death ...

Contrived corruption-based aggressive violence.

[Darcy24]

12:23 AM on 10/28/2011

I had rats in my SF apartment in the 1990's. It's very common. A lot of the buildings are more than 100 years old. There's a lot of parks and greenery and moisture. Rats love it. People don't live in this old city because they think it's pristine.

It's pretty funny how all you non-SFer's think feces vomit and urine is something new and shocking on the streets of SF, when anybody who's ever lived there knows it's SNAFU (Situation Normal, All **** Up). You can literally pick out who's never lived there by the comments. Occupy SF is about as responsible for these everyday conditions as your children are responsible for your prom date.

[Manchuscout]

12:45 PM on 10/27/2011

Doorways stinking of urine and feces on the sidewalks in the downtown area were already commonplace in San Francisco when I moved there in '63. Market and Mission Streets used to reek with it. Don't recall city officials ever wringing their hands over it unless it served a political end.

What the Occupiers are doing is steadily developing into a credible threat to the 1%. If they feel threatened enough those sociopaths will order their toadies to do whatever it takes to stop it. I fear more violence is coming, whether Occupiers start it or not, simply because the stakes are so high. And, the higher they become so, too, will be the price to be paid. OWS hasn't yet taken on the proportions of the protests against the war in Vietnam, but if it does I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if we see a Kent State massacre redux.

[neutralslamm]

09:23 AM on 10/27/2011

Should have stayed at the Howard Johnsons and not the public park.

[laterthanyouthink]

09:15 AM on 10/27/2011

So ... more hazardous that a 40mm grenade-launcher projectile fired into the face?

[AZDave2]

08:14 AM on 10/27/2011

Watch out for Government published propaganda that justifies violence. These tactics by the police are straight out of the text book. Often untrue and always showing incivility!

[LowDensityPoly]

03:38 AM on 10/27/2011

Being a corporate slave just keeps looking better and better

[Ross NW]

02:28 AM on 10/27/2011

I have a job. I take a shower. I pay taxes. I volunteer in my community. I respect the law. I am a good neighbor. I support the U.S. Constitution. I support the American way. I try to do what's right every day. I support OWS. They are putting their lives on the line to stand up for what's right. That's being a patriot.

[Ann-Pittsburgh]

05:34 AM on 10/27/2011

Well said. I am your fan.

[sadwitness]

01:24 AM on 10/27/2011

Funny, I was there just yesterday and the camp had no foul odors, there was no fecal matter, no urine...In fact, I smelled so much urine on Mission street, during the protest, not far from the W W hotel, that I felt queasy....wonder why they don't worry about that and evict the hotels and businesses that have stinky pizzy doorways and poop on the sidewalks in front of them? Have they noticed at all, how many of the homeless people are now gone from their storefronts and staying near the camps for food and support? Doubtful- The hypocrisy and outright lies in this mess are truly sickening...I have lost nearly all of my respect for the City and State Government and the Police force has made itself out to be a goon squad.

[NYC07]

01:22 AM on 10/27/2011

"Evidence of excrement, urine and vomit were observed"

Add some Rent boys and Girls and it sounds like the Republican Convention.

[No More Left]

12:24 AM on 10/27/2011

"Evidence of excrement, urine and vomit were observed throughout the park," officials said in a notice first reported by SFGate. "Fecal material was observed on stairs and grass. A container of human waste was observed along the Embarcadero side of the park."

The unsettling description didn't stop there.

"Several piles of vomit were observed along the Embarcadero side of the park," the department said. "Pile of feces and tampons found at a nearby pathway. Flies and urine observed along pathway."
-------------------------------------------------------------------

So this was all Elizabeth Warrens idea?

[agro23]

01:16 AM on 10/27/2011

Sounds like UN Plaza or Sixth street and Mission on a good day.

[smpj]

12:12 PM on 10/27/2011

If they must, let them continue behaving in this way. Who respectable can or will support behavior like this?

[gomezrules]

12:18 AM on 10/27/2011

"Evidence of excrement, urine and vomit were observed throughout the park,"

In other words, the typical results from the typical leftist gathering! It's the SAME everywhere they get together. Filth, chaos, damage to property both public and private, law enforcement having to be concentrated due to the always prevalent threat of violence, this is what they stand for! This is what they are ALL TRULY about!

[agro23]

01:17 AM on 10/27/2011

You don't even realize you're owned. It's almost cute.

[LowDensityPoly]

03:40 AM on 10/27/2011

Not like you though.

You're TOTALLY free.

[mikal haley]

02:58 AM on 10/27/2011

Not actually. this is just the uninformed wave. And right wing atrocities...do you really want to have this discussion in front of others?

No. Rightwing atrocities take LIVES and are denied-- by "people" like YOU and involve prisoners of war engaging in non-consensual sex acts.

the drainbow family of living lice, the crusties -- they got that name from the original atavistic post hip who were tired of them showing up drunk at, uh, OUR gatherings.

now, as far as right wing atrocities? they have yet to make as much of a mess as British Petroleum made in the Gulf of Mexico -- applying Depleted Uranium to the mothers and foetuses of civilian Iraq ...

that's what they are protesting.

a broken clock is right twice a day. but there are many people there, including the krusty klowns organized by Communist Adbusters.org.

eventually adbusters.org will be investigated. THAT will be the fun part,

this was attempted in the 1960s. it didn't work then and it won't work now.

a loving message from anarchy.

[kbuffler42]

12:15 AM on 10/27/2011

A large contingent of people essentially sitting in is going to be messy. It may, over an extended time become unsanitary; but guess what, rising numbers of homeless, rising unemployment, rising poverty, growing mistrust in our elected officials and representatives, rapidly escalatingfood prices all very unhealthy. We have waited too long for Washington to listen. They have chosen to protect their own. It's time to get back to government of the people, by the people and for the people.

[sadwitness]

01:29 AM on 10/27/2011

THE REPORT IS A LIE, PLEASE BELIEVE ME, I HAVE BEEN AT BOTH CAMPS ALL WEEK. THIS IS THE MADE UP EXCUSE TO ATTACK THE CAMPS. WE NEED AMERICAN SUPPORT...THE OCCUPY CAMPS ARE CLEAN ORDERLY AND GOVERNED. WE HAVE ESTABLISHED RECYCLE ROUNDS EVERY FOUR HOURS. WE HAVE A KITCHEN AREA/ LATRINE AREAS/ MEDICAL TENT AND MEETINGS TO ISOLATE CONCERNS.

PLEASE, VISIT YOUR LOCAL OCCUPY CAMP. WE NEED SUPPLIES, VOICES FOR EVEN A FEW HOURS AT A TIME, AND WITNESSES TO THE TRUTH. TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE...

Sorry to yell, we communicate that way a lot here.

[mikal haley]

03:01 AM on 10/27/2011

but that's just a cliche! of-by-for is just a cliche...you don't even know what it MEANS, i bet.

that's why nothing's changing below the surface. the situation that those people are living in, our cave ancestors lived in, and we're here, which means it's just ILLEGAL.

they are not deep thinkers, because sloganeers never are.
hey, the pizza ignited will never be reheated.
i say something, you say something.

something. I DID ALL THIS, or should i say WE, versus smirking insult to chimps GWB in 2002. They dropped the bombs anyway.

Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result got Californians the disturbing Reagan, Jr. from Austria.

yeah, of, by and for the people -- that is just cliche. can you expand on that? if not you bring NADA to my baby's table.

[jh530]

02:15 PM on 10/27/2011

you just rambal on making no sense.......

[intellectualTradition]

12:06 AM on 10/27/2011

i wish they would bring these protests in earnest to the south and southewestern states. that would be a hoot to watch the entitlement crowd try their scams there

[NYC07]

01:43 AM on 10/27/2011

Most of the Southern States ARE the "Entitlement Crowd"