(10-20) 22:43 PDT OAKLAND -- Oakland officials Thursday night ordered protesters inspired by the Occupy Wall Street movement to vacate Frank Ogawa Plaza outside City Hall, where hundreds of people have lived since Oct. 10 in an elaborate tent city complete with a kitchen, a school and a medical tent.

A document titled "Notice to Vacate Frank Ogawa Plaza" was posted on the city's website at 8 p.m. by the office of City Administrator Deanna Santana. It said Oakland was committed to allowing free speech, but also had a responsibility to protect public safety.

"We believe that after 10 days, the City can no longer uphold public health and safety," the notice said. "In recent days, camp conditions and occupants' behavior have significantly deteriorated, and it is no longer manageable to maintain a public health and safety plan."

Violence cited

The document cited fire hazards, sanitation issues, a growing rat problem and graffiti. It referred to an "increasing frequency of violence, assaults, threats and intimidation" and complained that protesters had denied access to "emergency personnel to treat injured persons and to police to patrol the Plaza."

"As a result of these serious conditions, the Administration has determined that facilitating this expression of speech is no longer viable, nor in the interest of public health and safety," the order said. "Peaceful daytime assembly will continue to be allowed between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. daily. No tents or overnight camping permitted."

Protesters angry at economic inequality have sought to establish a mini-society in the plaza free of government control, and some have spoken of occupying the area for many months. They have established perimeter patrols in an effort to keep out police officers, and have not reported crimes to authorities, choosing instead to try to handle problems themselves.

City spokeswoman Karen Boyd said Thursday's order was in part based on reports that a mentally ill homeless man who had been living in the camp assaulted several protesters on Tuesday. No one called police. Instead, witnesses said the homeless man - who went by the name "Kali" - was pepper-sprayed and beaten unconscious before he left the camp. As of Thursday, he had not returned.

Timetable unknown

Boyd said she did not know how, or when, police would enforce the order.

A 33-year-old resident of the camp named Jacob, who declined to give his last name, said late Thursday that the order had not spurred anyone to pack up and leave immediately. At 10 p.m., he said, people were still participating in a nightly general assembly.

"I don't expect any violence" if police raid the camp, Jacob said, "but I don't expect it to be easy."

He said, "The eviction is just a small thing in the bigger struggle. I don't think the struggle is going to dissipate in the near future at all. You have 400 to 500 people who have lived with each other for a week and dreamed to live in another world."