Occupy LA protesters are evicted - in pictures

Police clad in riot gear wait before moving in to evict Occupy Los Angeles protesters from their camp at city hall on Wednesday morning – two days after a deadline passed for demonstrators to leave Photograph: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images Protesters sit in a circle in the middle of the camp during a last stand Photograph: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images More than 1,400 police are involved in the eviction and about 200 arrests were made with 'absolutely minimal force', says the LA police chief Photograph: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images A police officer grabs a Occupy LA protester from a tree house during the eviction Photograph: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images Members of the Sovereign Nation group, who joined the camp outside city hall, look down on the police Photograph: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images Protesters from Occupy Los Angeles, which began on 1 October, were order to leave the city hall grounds by 12:01am on Monday Photograph: Bret Hartman/AP Describing police tactics, the Los Angeles mayor, Antonio Villaraigosa, says he has 'never seen more professional, restrained force' Photograph: Lucy Nicholson/AFP/Getty Images A protester looks over their deflated camp Photograph: Bret Hartman/AP A strong show of defiance from protesters prompts police to delay the raid until Wednesday Photograph: Michal Czerwonka/Getty Images Despite the raid, some protesters said it only made the movement stronger Photograph: Michal Czerwonka/Getty Images While the hundreds of police officers clear out the park of the remaining occupiers, about 500 people gather near city hall to show their solidarity for those still in the camp Photograph: Pool/Getty Images Although the police say they refrained from using strong force, there were reports of marchers on a nearby street being pushed away from the area Photograph: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images Despite arguments and sniping among some occupiers as police moved in, overall there was a great sense of solidarity in and around the camp Photograph: Michal Czerwonka/Getty Images Protesters wait for police to move in Photograph: Michal Czerwonka/Getty Images Police officers in hazmat suits look at the debris after dismantling the encampment Photograph: Lucy Nicholson/Reuters Police were on a 'city-wide tactical alert' and shut down streets leading to city hall Photograph: Bret Hartman/AP