COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- A federal judge's ruling means Occupy Columbia protesters face arrest again if they continue camping and sleeping on Statehouse grounds.
U.S. District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie on Thursday said her earlier injunction against removing the Occupy Columbia protesters is trumped by a new rule prohibiting living on the grounds.
State attorneys had asked her to change her previous order. She said that is unnecessary.
“The judge's ruling means that the regulation adopted by the Budget and Control Board is a reasonable time, place and manner restriction and therefore is part of state law now,” said Butch Bowers, Attorney for Governor Nikki Haley.
Currie also denied protesters' request to block the new rule from taking effect.
“The governor and the Budget and Control Board they are going to give a reasonable amount of time. They are not going to start removing things now. Hopefully we can work out a reasonable time,” says Reynolds Blakenship, Occupy Columbia attorney.
The Budget and Control Board on Tuesday unanimously approved emergency regulations banning camping and sleeping on Statehouse grounds.
Currie said her order blocking the removal of protesters was issued because the state had no valid regulations on camping and sleeping. She says the new rule means her injunction is no longer in effect.
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