The American public will have little pity for the members of the Occupy Wall Street movement evicted from their camps in lower Manhattan’s Zuccotti Park. It is a paradox of open societies: since order cannot be taken for granted, the public demands that government ostentatiously impose it.

In 1968, youths who gathered at the Democratic convention were clubbed mercilessly on national television by Chicago police. Even though public opinion was shifting towards the demonstrators’ views, the public’s contempt for their protests led even the Democratic party candidate to sing the praises of the police.

New York was not alone in trying to clear out its Occupy movement. The City of London started legal action to remove protesters from St Paul’s. Zurich cleared its main square. Nowhere are ordinary citizens rallying in solidarity with the kids. Yet, although Occupy has failed as a movement, it may prove important as a symptom.