A five-hour Irvine, Orange County, CA city council meeting ended with the council unanimously agreeing that the Occupy tents on the town hall's lawn were a form of free speech and vowing to "add the needs of 'The 99%' to their official agenda." Afterwards, the mayor asked the protesters if they needed any more blankets.

The council members each spoke in turn to the civility, articulateness and

peaceful process represented by the Irvine Occupation at contrast with the

several other Occupational Villages in California, which were, at that

very moment being tear-gassed. The general sentiment being: 'This is quite

clearly the model. And the occupation most in tune with city needs.'

One councilman stated clearly, 'I disagree with most of what you're

saying. But you've clearly shown that this is an issue of free speech. So

if you need to sleep on our lawn, by all means, sleep on our lawn.'

Shortly after, a motion was brought to the council to grant license to the

occupiers to occupy the public space overnight citing the unusual form of

the movement. (Another first in council history.)