Carrboro occupiers return to vacant building

A group returned to a vacant building in Carrboro Sunday, one day after masked protesters occupied it for several hours Saturday afternoon and early evening.

It's located at 201 North Greensboro Street. They oppose a proposed CVS that they say could go on the site.

On Sunday, they returned to discuss their concerns.

"My reaction continues to be intense disappointment that as communities we face these unjust laws and these ordinances that are preventing us connecting and coming together and doing what we need to do to support each other,” said Maria Rowan, a spokesperson for the group.

Jeff Herrick, who lives near the site and said he is married to a town alderwoman, said he and other neighbors have similar goals as the group, though he opposed its methods.

"You can talk to the town planning board. You can figure out what's the process that CVS has to go through and what are the steps that they have to go through and what are the zoning laws? It's very boring. It's not as exciting as taking over a building, but that's the way it works in Carrboro,” he said.

Rowan said the group plans to continue to discuss how to move forward in the coming days. She said they plan to issue a press release Tuesday.

Herrick said a town meeting is scheduled Wednesday evening to discuss plans for the site.

Rain washed away most signs of Saturday’s protest, other than a "No CVS" message painted on the front door. But just hours before, protesters wearing black bandannas entered and occupied a vacant building to make a statement about its possible use as a CVS store.

A witness described a loud and colorful scene Saturday.

"I saw people on the roof, saw people entering the building, saw people with paint cans going into the building. And people were whistling and dancing and playing drums outside," said Michelle Johnson, who is a member of the town's Board of Aldermen.

Then Mayor Mark Chilton and the police chief went into the building and told protesters they were violating state law and they needed to leave. "I'm not leaving until they leave," said Chilton.

He kept his promise. After several hours of occupying the vacant building, protesters walked out, carrying pots and pans with food, and wearing black bandannas covering their faces.

"You're trying to give our police department a bad name," said Chilton. Protester Johnny Moran responded, "Absolutely!"

Chilton said, "You're full of crap. It's your police department." The protester said, "It's not our police department."

The mayor shot back, "It is all of our police department."

Tempers continued to flare even after all the protesters got out.

"I didn't vote to get evicted from this building. I didn't vote for there to be a CVS here. I didn't vote for corporations to have so much power," shouted Moran.

Chilton responded, "I didn't vote for you to steal someone's property."

Occupy protester Maria Rowan sympathizes with the cause, and she was handing out fliers to support the protest. "There's a real problem with the culture in which ownership by a corporation or even ownership by an individual trumps what we as people as a community, how we wanna live," said Rowan.

But even in this community, many did not agree with the method used for this message.

"From talking to a few folks who are part of Occupy, some people are not in agreement with this action that happened today with breaking and entering the building because it's been vacant for so long," said Michelle Johnson.