PITTSBURGH,None — An Allegheny County judge gave Occupy Pittsburgh protesters three days to leave the Bank of New York Mellon's Downtown property where they have been camped since October.
Common Pleas Judge Christine Ward issued a 23-page opinion and order on Thursday and said it would become effective as soon as BNY Mellon posted a $10,000 bond, which she ordered the bank to do immediately.
The bank last month asked the judge to allow it to evict protesters from its Downtown park.
Occupy Pittsburgh attorneys argued that the city code governing urban open space forced the banking giant to allow protesters to camp at Mellon Green beginning Oct. 15.
"We have always been a non-violent movement so the only real concrete plan we have for the police is we'll 'rick roll' them. It's called 'rick rolling.' We will sing Rick Astley's 'Never Going To Give You Up,'" said Occupy Pittsburgh protestor Matt Wheeler.
Wheeler said he understands the court order, but said he will also refuse to leave even if it means he'll go to jail.
"That's the risk I take for standing up for my beliefs and standing up for my constitutional rights and free speech," Wheeler said.
If the protestors don’t leave by Monday morning, Mellon Bank could ask the judge for an eviction order. After the order is granted police will ask the protestors to leave and if they don’t oblige, arrests could be made.
Other protestors said they were not surprised by Ward's ruling. Several said organizers already were working on returning tents to campers who left, and passing along excess donations so they don't go to waste.
Channel 11's news exchange partners at TribLIVE contributed to this report.