Judge Denies Occupy LA Request For Injunction

LOS ANGELES (CBS) — A federal judged Thursday denied a request by Occupy L.A. protesters for an injunction against police action to clear their encampment outside L.A. City Hall.

The judge declared the request meaningless, as the encampment had been cleared of all protesters before the court learned of the filing.

In a status update on the lawsuit, U.S. District Judge George H. King wrote that Occupy L.A. attorneys "did not inform us" that an application for a temporary restraining order would be forthcoming, "nor did plaintiffs contact the court last night to inform us that the application had been e-filed."

As a result, "it did not come to our attention until 8 this morning that the application had been e-filed," the judge ruled. "In the interim, all participants in Occupy Los Angeles were removed from City Hall Park by the Los Angeles Police Department. Given last night's events, plaintiffs' requested relief is no longer applicable."

Attorneys for Occupy L.A. protesters filed court papers Monday asking a judge to prevent police from clearing the City Hall camp.

The protesters alleged that the city of Los Angeles, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Los Angeles police Chief Charlie Beck violated their civil rights by ordering the encampment dismantled after first "approving the Occupy L.A. camp for 56 days before suddenly revoking permission."

Police began moving in to clear the encampment late Tuesday night, arresting 292 demonstrators.

City workers placed fences around the property early Wednesday morning, as hazmat workers began to sort through the debris and personal belongings left behind.

Extensive damage to the park property was also being assessed.

Villaraigosa says the movement has cost the city hundreds of thousands of dollars.

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