Squabbles splinter Occupy Las Vegas

It began as a small protest with an emphasis on ending corporate greed and influence in politics.

But the Occupy Las Vegas movement's message has taken a back seat this week to squabbling among protesters.

A splinter group, OccupyLV, was formed by protesters formerly associated with the encampment on a 1.4-acre swath of county land between Paradise Road and Swenson Street.

A handful of the 30 or so protesters claim they were banned from the property by Occupy Las Vegas members, who hold a 30-day lease with the county set to expire Nov. 21, for voicing their opinions about how the occupation should move forward and for disobeying the group's rules by speaking out of turn at general assembly meetings.

OccupyLV members meet twice a week at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and have no plans of finding an occupation site.

Gina M. Sully , who was once the media coordinator for Occupy Las Vegas, is now a member of the OccupyLV group after she was banned from the property for "demanding transparency" about why people were being ejected, she said.

"Political activism doesn't have to be angry or ugly," Sully said.

There are no definite plans for an occupation site, "but occupation is a way, not a place. ... I want to stress that it's not separate. Organizers and community activists would call this an affinity group. Some want to do it one way, others want to do it another way, but they're working toward the same thing."

Both groups said they plan to participate together in further protests in Las Vegas.

They both identify with the national Occupy Wall Street movement, which has experienced backlash from law enforcement elsewhere. News reports and video clips of police firing rounds of tear gas and beanbags at protesters isn't likely to happen in Las Vegas, local groups said, where organizers are working closely with county officials and police.

AGREE TO DISAGREE

About 10 people have been banned from the occupation site, said Sebring Frehner, an Occupy Las Vegas protester. One was caught stealing gas, others spoke out of turn, and a militia group was kicked out for suggesting protesters should be armed because "otherwise people wouldn't pay attention" to the cause.

The site also has attracted 9-11 truthers, anti-Zionists and tea partiers, who have been asked to leave.

Another protester was asked to leave after the group said they discovered he had a criminal record.

Protesters from both groups have agreed that the quarrel isn't about the mission of the movement, and they plan to participate in upcoming protests side by side.

"Both sides are still the 99 percent," said Collin Williams, a member of Occupy Las Vegas.

"We're still fighting to end corporate greed in America. The disagreement is over how it's being done, not what we're trying to accomplish."

Frehner said the group probably will not renew the county lease and instead will move its operation to donated warehouse space about six miles northwest of the land. The warehouse location will be more of an "activist action center," he said.

Once the lease is up, the group will focus on its next project: Occupy Foreclosures. Protesters in that movement will seek out people on the brink of losing their homes and offer to risk being arrested while standing in the way of police to draw attention to the "nation's foreclosure capital."

Sully said OccupyLV will focus more on Las Vegas-oriented issues, including finding resources for homeowners facing foreclosure.

"We just wanted a more democratic and transparent process," Sully said about the fractured group. "This is kind of heartbreaking."

OCCUPATION HOMELESS

As Occupy Las Vegas activists have left the occupation site, area homeless have moved into the makeshift tent city, comprising the majority of the site's population.

About 60 protesters actively attend meetings on site but do not stay overnight.

A handful of occupiers with the movement camp in the tents, and protesters make sure the homeless help clean the campsite and follow the rules -- no drugs or alcohol -- in exchange for food and shelter.

Frehner said the group is trying to bring in social services resources for the camp's homeless residents to eliminate any legal issues.

Those Occupy Las Vegas protesters who signed their names to the county lease, including Frehner, have formed Opportunities Las Vegas, a week-old nonprofit organization designed to protect the personal assets of the leaseholders in the event of a lawsuit and to offer a tax-deductible donation option to anonymous donors.

No donations have been received by the nonprofit so far, Frehner said.

One protester at the campsite asked to remain anonymous because he said he is involved with both occupation groups.

Some protesters have complained about a "core group" of people who are mostly liberal and seem to have all the power, the man said.

"There were supposed to be no leaders or authority," he said. "There's too much infighting with Occupy Las Vegas. The atmosphere of the other group was so much better."

Contact reporter Kristi Jourdan at
kjourdan@reviewjournal.com or 702-455-4519.