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Sacramento Police Make Arrests In Anti-Wall Street Protest

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – Sacramento police arrested several anti-Wall Street protesters who refused to leave a downtown park overnight.

Sacramento police made several announcements to the crowd gathered at Cesar Chavez Park saying the protesters had to leave because the park was closed.

Officers armed with tazers, batons, and pepperball guns then surrounded the crowd and began making arrests.

Police say they arrested 19 people.

One of the men arrested overnight, a Sacramento ACLU board member, spoke with CBS13 Friday morning after being released. Cres Vellucci says the arrested protesters were issued a letter on their release banning them from Cesar Chavez Park for life.

"What I plan on doing in just a few hours is talk with some of our attorneys and get them to challenge the order we were given when we were released just a few minutes ago," said Vellucci. "On its face, the way I read it, it is unconstitutional. It's an attempt to intimidate people like any of us who believe in the right to free speech and to protest non-violently."

Earlier Report: Some 'Occupy Sacramento' Protesters Lash Out At Questions

"Occupy Sacramento," which was portrayed as the local foothold for the rally that has entered its third week in front of Wall Street in New York City, drew impassioned speakers and a wide variety of viewpoints when the rally began Thursday morning.

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