PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Occupy Providence protesters said Thursday they have been given a midnight Saturday deadline to vacate the park where they have had an encampment against the city’s wishes since October.

The protest group reached agreement with the city this week to suspend its encampment at Burnside Park when a temporary homeless day center it demanded opened its doors.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence said it would open the facility at Emmanuel House on Friday.

Protester Artemis Moonhawk said Public Safety Commissioner Steven Pare visited Burnside Park on Thursday and told her and others they had to dismantle their tents by midnight Saturday – which she said isn’t enough time. She said Pare suggested the city would “walk away” from its support for the day center if protesters were not out by then.

Pare wouldn’t confirm a deadline but said protesters had been given one.

He told The Associated Press the city was available to help the protesters remove debris from Burnside Park but only on Thursday and Friday.

He said the details of a “practical departure” were under discussion with Miriam Weizenbaum, an attorney representing some of the activists. Mike McCarthy, another Occupy protester, said Weizenbaum told protesters they had through Sunday to leave. Many of the tents have been unoccupied for weeks.

Weizenbaum said the opening of the day center Friday is the “agreed trigger” for the protesters to leave the park.

The city ordered the protesters from the park in October, but they refused. The sides have been in mediation.

Occupy hailed its agreement with the city on the day center on the steps of City Hall on Tuesday. Protesters said they reserved the right to re-occupy.