This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Occupy SLC protesters who have been demonstrating around the clock in front of Salt Lake City's Federal Reserve Bank at 120 S. State St. have erected a new tent city in a nearby vacant lot. No tents or tarps are allowed directly in front of the Fed building.
"We've got 10 tents there now," said protester Seth Walker, noting that his Occupy the Fed group picked up trash and mowed weeds to prepare the encampment.
Radio City Lounge stood on the parcel for 63 years until real estate investors demolished the former jazz/dance venue in 2009, said protester Jesse Fruhwirth.
The group sought a permit to camp from the city to weather this weekend's winter storm but were told the best the city could offer was a single parking spot at $25 per day, Walker said.
"We had no choice but to set up some kind of tent city" without permit — to provide shelter from the snow, Walker said. "I don't want to wake up in the morning and find someone dead in their sleeping bag."
The group will continue to demonstrate in front of the Fed Bank.
Occupy SLC, an offshoot of New York City's Occupy Wall Street protest movement, continues to run its base camp in downtown Pioneer Park, where tents first rose on Oct. 6.
Jihad Al-Ali, 49, has been part of the Pioneer Park occupation but plans to soon set up Occupy West Valley City on city-owned land between the Jordan River and the Khadeeza Islamic Center.
Ali, who immigrated from Syria 30 years ago, said Friday that he obtained permission from the city to occupy that spot.
"I'm protesting to say we need more love and tolerance," Ali said, "and to encourage Islamic youth to understand democratic procedures and be more involved."
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