Police Evict Occupy Oakland Protesters

There was a tense showdown as police in riot gear moved in to clear out an Occupy Wall Street encampment in Oakland, California.

It happened at dawn, as heavily-armed cops physically tore apart a tent city that had been set up weeks ago.

There were dozens of arrests. Somehow one woman managed to sleep through the whole thing.

Protesters were warned they'd be evicted after a man was recently shot to death at the tent city.

The dramatic crackdown came after another Occupy Wall Street encampment in Portland, Oregon, was broken up over the weekend. Authorities said the camp had become a filthy, unsanitary health hazard.

At the Occupy Wall Street in New York City, there's shock about the growing criticism that the tent cities that have sprung up across the country are now being shut down because they've become breeding grounds for crime and disease.

One Occupy Wall Street protester told INSIDE EDITION's Les Trent, "We have a very tight community here, so anytime anything goes wrong with anyone, we know."

Medical experts say with winter coming there's a significant risk of flu and even tuberculosis spreading through the camp. But protesters have first aid tents set up and told Trent they get free flu shots. The campsite is disinfected at least twice a week with bleach.

Trent asked one prosester, "Cold and flu season is coming up. Do you worry about things like that, the possibility of an epidemic?"

"Our medics work really hard to keep us all informed about what those risks are. They've got a lot of on-site doctors," said the protester.

An Occupy Wall Street protester was hauled away by the scruff of his neck. "Ass Haul" said the New York Post. The guy who dragged the protester away was an ex-cop who took matters into his own hands.