2011-10-14T13:23:00Z

The moment that Occupy Wall Street heard that Mayor Bloomberg was planning to "clean" Zuccotti Park, the mood among the protesters intensified.

They formed a group to clean the park themselves, and started forming plans to block the NYPD and cleaners from entering the park at 7 AM the next morning.

When we got there around 6 AM, there were easily 2,000 people crammed in the space, ready to "defend the park." One speaker said, "they can't arrest all of us."

He had a point.

The protesters do feel like they're winning, but not all of them knew what they would do if the police started trying to clear them out.

We finally caught up with a woman named Nanterri on the Occupy Wall Street legal team. She told us that if the NYPD tried to enter the park, the protesters would be instructed to link arms and form a human chain while trying get as close to the center of the park as possible. They would leave no spaces for the police to get through.

And then (via Twitter) they heard that the cleaning had been postponed.

You can't imagine the energy.

We started the morning at McDonald's. It's a good meeting spot.

It's also a good place to talk to people, as protesters go there to use the bathroom.

We walked over to the park and the crowd was massive.

People were wearing masks and costumes.

And a human chain was already forming around the perimeter.

Some of the signs tried to explain the protesters' case to the NYPD.

This guy was right in front, and he didn't know what he would do if the police tried to come in.

She had a clearer idea what she would hand the police.

We made our way into the park. A lot of people were rolling up their sleeping bags.

Some people had slept on wooden pallets all night so they wouldn't get wet.

Others wrapped themselves in plastic.

Obviously, these guys don't mind a little water... or noise.

Tons of different emotions everywhere. This guy looked worried.

Obviously, she's not so worried.

These guys were playing chess, we're not sure how they managed to think in all the noise.

Apparently, some people were up all night.

So they were trying to get a little bit of rest in before they had to protect the park.

Others were grabbing a sandwich or some scrambled eggs.

Nutella on French bread? Yum.

Tons and tons of coffee

The General Assembly started making announcements soon after we got there. "This is happening and so much more is possible because we are winning," one guy said.

We saw union people everywhere—they tended to be the biggest and burliest.

She had 99 on the other cheek (this cheek has a percent sign)

This baby is also in the 99%

The media center was super active, tweeting, video, recording etc. But you can't hang there or they'll ask you to move.

Media from everywhere—Televisa is Latin American

And who knows where this satellite feed is going.

And the clean-up was still going in earnest.

Everyone pitched in and the park smelled like Lysol.

The live feed was going, protected from the rain with plastic wrap.

And then they found out that the park cleaning was "postponed." A cheer ripped through the crowd as the human mic rippled the news through thousands of people.

We still don't know why the police were recording from the top of this news van.

When they have cameras stationed there anyway.

This shrine is at the center of their meditation circle... protesters started meditating once they heard the news.

But the mediators were in the minority. Some people started dancing and drumming. Others wanted to march—so they did.

This morning's success led to an interesting day

How Occupy Wall Street Protesters Followed Up Their Victory Over The City >

This Is What Really Happened When Wall Street Protesters Won A Major Battle Over The City Friday Morning

We started the morning at McDonald's. It's a good meeting spot.

It's also a good place to talk to people, as protesters go there to use the bathroom.

We walked over to the park and the crowd was massive.

People were wearing masks and costumes.

And a human chain was already forming around the perimeter.

Some of the signs tried to explain the protesters' case to the NYPD.

This guy was right in front, and he didn't know what he would do if the police tried to come in.

She had a clearer idea what she would hand the police.

We made our way into the park. A lot of people were rolling up their sleeping bags.

Some people had slept on wooden pallets all night so they wouldn't get wet.

Others wrapped themselves in plastic.

Obviously, these guys don't mind a little water... or noise.

Tons of different emotions everywhere. This guy looked worried.

Obviously, she's not so worried.

These guys were playing chess, we're not sure how they managed to think in all the noise.

Apparently, some people were up all night.

So they were trying to get a little bit of rest in before they had to protect the park.

Others were grabbing a sandwich or some scrambled eggs.

Nutella on French bread? Yum.

Tons and tons of coffee

The General Assembly started making announcements soon after we got there. "This is happening and so much more is possible because we are winning," one guy said.

We saw union people everywhere—they tended to be the biggest and burliest.

She had 99 on the other cheek (this cheek has a percent sign)

This baby is also in the 99%

The media center was super active, tweeting, video, recording etc. But you can't hang there or they'll ask you to move.

Media from everywhere—Televisa is Latin American

And who knows where this satellite feed is going.

And the clean-up was still going in earnest.

Everyone pitched in and the park smelled like Lysol.

The live feed was going, protected from the rain with plastic wrap.

And then they found out that the park cleaning was "postponed." A cheer ripped through the crowd as the human mic rippled the news through thousands of people.

We still don't know why the police were recording from the top of this news van.

When they have cameras stationed there anyway.

This shrine is at the center of their meditation circle... protesters started meditating once they heard the news.

But the mediators were in the minority. Some people started dancing and drumming. Others wanted to march—so they did.

This morning's success led to an interesting day

How Occupy Wall Street Protesters Followed Up Their Victory Over The City >

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This Is What Really Happened When Wall Street Protesters Won A Major Battle Over The City Friday Morning

We started the morning at McDonald's. It's a good meeting spot.

It's also a good place to talk to people, as protesters go there to use the bathroom.

We walked over to the park and the crowd was massive.

People were wearing masks and costumes.

And a human chain was already forming around the perimeter.

Some of the signs tried to explain the protesters' case to the NYPD.

This guy was right in front, and he didn't know what he would do if the police tried to come in.

She had a clearer idea what she would hand the police.

We made our way into the park. A lot of people were rolling up their sleeping bags.

Some people had slept on wooden pallets all night so they wouldn't get wet.

Others wrapped themselves in plastic.

Obviously, these guys don't mind a little water... or noise.

Tons of different emotions everywhere. This guy looked worried.

Obviously, she's not so worried.

These guys were playing chess, we're not sure how they managed to think in all the noise.

Apparently, some people were up all night.

So they were trying to get a little bit of rest in before they had to protect the park.

Others were grabbing a sandwich or some scrambled eggs.

Nutella on French bread? Yum.

Tons and tons of coffee

The General Assembly started making announcements soon after we got there. "This is happening and so much more is possible because we are winning," one guy said.

We saw union people everywhere—they tended to be the biggest and burliest.

She had 99 on the other cheek (this cheek has a percent sign)

This baby is also in the 99%

The media center was super active, tweeting, video, recording etc. But you can't hang there or they'll ask you to move.

Media from everywhere—Televisa is Latin American

And who knows where this satellite feed is going.

And the clean-up was still going in earnest.

Everyone pitched in and the park smelled like Lysol.

The live feed was going, protected from the rain with plastic wrap.

And then they found out that the park cleaning was "postponed." A cheer ripped through the crowd as the human mic rippled the news through thousands of people.

We still don't know why the police were recording from the top of this news van.

When they have cameras stationed there anyway.

This shrine is at the center of their meditation circle... protesters started meditating once they heard the news.

But the mediators were in the minority. Some people started dancing and drumming. Others wanted to march—so they did.

This morning's success led to an interesting day

How Occupy Wall Street Protesters Followed Up Their Victory Over The City >

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