SFPD and members of Occupy SF butt heads Sunday night as authorities attempted to forcibly remove the Occupy encampment at Justin Herman Plaza starting around 10:30 p.m. According to ABC7, Police in riot gear stood watch as DPW crews cleared the area. Protesters attempting to block a city garbage truck from hauling off their tents and belongings were dragged out of the way. One protester was reportedly dragged away by his index finger while police officers threatened to break it.

Unconfirmed twitter reports also claim one officer hit a protester in the face with a nightstick.

Four protesters were arrested for "pedestrian in a roadway" and resisting arrest. The fifth arrest was for battery on a police officer. Two other protesters may face charges of battery. One protester slashed the tire of a DPW truck as fellow demonstrators surrounded the vehicle.

After the tents were cleared, SFPD told the crowd they were allowed to assemble, but not allowed to sleep on the plaza and a curfew was being enforced.

We'll continue to update this story as we get more.

UPDATE: Filmmaker Josh Wolf has posted video from last night's confrontation, embedded below. Things start to get tense around the 3:30 mark. DPW trucks and a phalanx of SFPD officers move in around the 6 minute mark:

[BCN/Appeal]
[ABC7/KGO-TV]
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