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As northern cities have parlayed the cold weather onset with police crackdowns to vanquish “Occupy” encampments, and the west coast has seen authorities violently wreak havoc on the movement, Occupy protesters are looking for alternatives. It may seem a paradox that the left-leaning movement would find refuge in the traditionally conservative south, but the economic malaise that informs its birth has been particularly harsh on this already ravaged region of the country. Meanwhile, temperatures should be far more reasonable for maintaining camp through the winter months, despite a recent spate of snow and chilly temps post-Thanksgiving. So far, some southern authorities have been wary about repeating the violent crackdowns of other cities, while others have lost legal battles in attempts to evict encampments. In a surprising twist to some, the Occupy movement may be going south for the winter.

But recent activity suggests that New Orleans could be the flashpoint for the next wave of police repression. The oft-scandalous New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) has navigated the issue very carefully thus far; keen on evading more of the adversity that came with the recent prosecution of five officers in the post-Katrina Danziger Bridge shootings of unarmed civilians that resulted in two deaths. Meanwhile, mayor Mitch Landrieu has mirrored the behavior of his counterparts in cities throughout the country: pretending to support the First Amendment rights of protestors, whilst presaging a coming crackdown with a statement Friday afternoon in which he said: “”I am asking them to leave right now. Any time after this may see enforcement. At some point in time, if they refuse to leave, I will initiate some action.” (This statement was issued just two days after an email from Landrieu spokesman Ryan Berni assured me that there was “no deadline.” When asked what caused such a sudden and drastic change in posture, Berni refused to comment).