City Postpones Cleanup of Protest Park

Today was the scheduled cleanup of Zuccotti Park, the location of the Occupy Wall Street protests. The park had not been cleaned in almost a month, and pedestrians and local business were beginning to complain about the area becoming a sanitary and health hazard.

However, since the announced cleanup, tensions were indeed high for the protesters who felt the City might use the cleanup as a reason to evict them from the park. In the end, Zuccotti Park's cleanup crew ended up canceling at the last minute fearing a possible showdown between the crew, police and demonstrators.

Before the cleanup was called off, however, photojournalist Julie Turkewitz took photos of the scene, at dusk, just as the sun began to rise.

"As a journalist, this movement has made me feel incredibly empowered and has renewed my belief that palpable change is possible," said Turkewitz. "Will we see it tomorrow? No. But i do believe this movement will serve as a catalyst, a small launching pad, to help us move toward a more just society."