The midnight deadline came and went without police making a move. But then, a group of protestors decided to block traffic near city hall which necessitated the cops moving in to disperse the crowd.

Around dawn, police finally moved into the encampment and scattered the protestors. There is little trouble according to USA Today:

As the deadline approached, people poured into the grounds, likely many of them answering calls on Facebook and Twitter to come out and show solidarity.

Police presence was slight right after the 12:01 a.m. PT Monday deadline, but it began increasing as the morning wore on. At the same time, the number of protesters dwindled.

"People have been pretty cooperative tonight. We want to keep it peaceful," police Cmdr. Andrew Smith told The Associated Press.

"We're going to do this as gently as we possibly can. Our goal is not to have anybody arrested. Our goal is not to have to use force."

By 2:30 a.m., most protesters had moved from the campsite in the park to the streets. That put them technically in compliance with the mayor's eviction order.

But at 4:50 a.m., police on loudspeakers declared an unlawful assembly and protesters were told to get out of the street within five minutes, and the previously peaceful protest turned violent. People wearing masks taunted officers and water bottles were thrown at police in riot gear as authorities started clearing 1st and Main streets just after 5 a.m. Monday.

Commanders corralled demonstrations back to the City Hall park, telling them they won't be arrested there.

Out with a whimper, not a bang. Perhaps it's because the LA protestors are more laid back than their counterparts in other cities. Or maybe, they're smarter. Either way, Occupy LA is history and people can go back to using the park for its intended purpose.