By Amar C. Bakshi and Mackenzie Sigalos, CNN
Before 1am Tuesday morning, Zuccotti Park was a sea of tents. Over the course of nearly 2 months, the Occupy Wall Street protesters had developed a fairly sophisticated community in the heart of New York City with a library, a convenience store, a first aid tent, and a kitchen at the center of the park that served free food throughout the day.
But according to Mayor Bloomberg and many disgruntled neighbors, the birthplace of Occupy Wall Street was a nuisance and a public health hazard. So early Tuesday morning, police in riot gear stormed the park and evicted the Occupiers.
Similar shutdowns have occurred across America in recent weeks: Oakland, Portland, Burlington, Denver, Salt Lake City, St. Louis and others.
Spending time down in OWS, we asked many people who to talk to for a smart take on the movement, and Hero Vincent’s name came up many times.
Hero came up to NYC from North Carolina on September 17, the first day of the protests. He has been camping out in Zuccotti Park for nearly two months, during which time he was arrested for misdemeanors by the city police on multiple occasions.
We brought Hero into the CNN studios just minutes after the New York Supreme Court decided not to allow the OWS protesters to re-establish camp in Zuccotti Park.
Mayor Bloomberg said: "Protesters have had two months to occupy the park with tents and sleeping bags. Now they will have to occupy the space with the power of their arguments."
But just how essential is a physical space to the success of Occupy Wall Street? Does Occupy Wall Street seek to become a political force like the Tea Party? And what do young people like Hero think of President Obama’s promise of change? We put these questions to Hero in the video above. Let us know what you think in the comments section below.
