ATLANTA, Ga. -- With the holidays, Woodruff park is all dressed up and ready for Christmas. It is a far cry from the scene there just over a year ago.
That's when scores of Atlanta police officers moved in to evict Occupy Atlanta from the park, after mayor Kasim Reed issued an executive order citing safety concerns.
"We're asking Mayor Reed: 'What do you have to hide?'" shouted Atlanta state senator Vincent Fort, who was among a crowd of Occupy supporters, protesters and attorneys gathered outside City Hall.
On Friday, lawyers for the Occupy movement accused the city of suppressing evidence that could have been used to exonerate them of the charges they face for taking over the park.
"These documents are evidence that what was said initially, that Occupy was a safety hazard, was in fact untrue," said Occupy defense attorney Mawuli Mel Davis.
The protesters have been vocal all week as their cases have finally gone to city court. Their lawyers say the documents they've just now received are critical to their defense.
"The city attorney's office came down before Judge Gaines and argued that these documents, that were handed to us during the middle of the trial, did not exist," said Occupy defense attorney Alex Susor.
The city's law department issued a statement saying:
"The city cannot comment on vague and unsupported allegations. The city has fully cooperated with the Court, the Solicitor's office, and the Occupy defendants' attorneys in producing relevant documents."
But the protesters contend that's not true.
"This is a political persecution that they're trying to disguise as a prosecution," said WAOK radio talk-show host Derrick Boazman, who is also one of the defendants in the case.