Nation IN BRIEF : NEW YORK : Police Raid Evicts Homeless From Park

Police in riot gear raided New York City’s Tompkins Square Park, scattering about 150 homeless people as city officials closed much of the park for renovations. About 300 officers swarmed into the 10-acre park before dawn. Mayor David N. Dinkins said that 100 homeless people left the park “quickly and peacefully” and the rest gathered around a park band shell for an impromptu demonstration. Seven who remained were arrested for violating park rules, authorities said. The decision to close the park came after a Memorial Day melee in which 18 police officers were injured by a bottle-throwing mob.