Virginia State Police brought in bulldozers at about 1am Monday morning to clear out an encampment of Occupy Richmond protesters.

At least 15 protesters who choose not to leave Kanawha Plaza after a 45-minute warning were arrested, according to Richmond Times-Dispatch.

Demonstrators had been occupying the plaza since Oct. 15. Democratic Mayor Dwight C. Jones visited the site Thursday to warn protesters they were breaking a city ordinance that forbids camping on public property.

"We applied for permits from city council but, you know, they didn't accept or decline us getting a permit," one activist explained to WTVR. "At least them declining it would give us an idea what was to come, but we didn't get anything. So we started occupying with high hopes and unfortunately this is what it came down to."

Protesters have vowed to continue their occupation of Richmond even if they can't do it at Kanawha Plaza.