By Sonja Sharp and Wil Cruz
DNAinfo Staff
DOWNTOWN — As word spread of the barricades at Zuccotti Park being taken down overnight, a slow stream of Occupy Wall Street protesters — who made the site their home for two months — began to trickle back.
Several hundred activists made their way to the park by early Wednesday morning, with more expected later in the day, protestors said.
Still, OWS protesters downplayed the importance of the park at this stage of the movement, suggesting that its reach could expand to public spaces.
"Zuccotti Park has never been the ultimate goal," said Tyree Robinson, 24, of Bushwick. "[Tuesday] is obviously a good day because the barriers are down."
"That ends up being a victory. It's good for us to celebrate," he added. "We've got lots of big plans coming up. I don't think Zuccotti should have been a thing, because it's private space. It's time to take public space. It's about reclaiming and taking back public space."
Police and security officials started removing the controversial barriers around 7 p.m. Monday night, a day after a coalition of advocates including the New York Civil Liberties Union, the NY chapter of the National Lawyer's Guild and others pressed the Department of Buildings to free up the space. Officials said the removal of the barricades was unrelated to the legal letter.
Brookfield Properties, which owns the space, has declined to comment on the action.
The NYPD did not immediately have the number of arrests made overnight, but protestors said they witnessed at least four people being taken into custody.
Joey Boots, a frequent guest and contributor on the Howard Stern show, tweeted that he was detained and issued a desk appearance ticket for trespassing.
"I'm a free man after spending a few hrs in a cell at the 7th precinct & getting a desk appearance ticket for tres," he tweeted Wednesday morning."
The few protestors who returned to the park said it was important to have a presence there at dawn — before the arrival of Wall Street brokers many believe are complicit in the downturn of the country.
"I thought it was important to be here by 6 a.m., when all the stock brokers come walking by," said Adam Farooqui, 25, of Rego Park in Queens. "They should see our movement's here."
Out-of-towners, too, decided to come right away.
"I've been here the last 12 hours," said Brian Majdanik of North Carolina. "I expect a huge celebration in the community. Eventually, I hope we'll take back the park."
