Samaria says she was in town to visit her father, who is ill, and joined the tent city because she thought it was interesting.

Though she says she grew to support the living wage cause over the past few days, Samaria says she was mainly interested in studying why the protest here remained so peaceful in contrast to movements thirty years ago.

The only other camper who stayed Tuesday night along with Samaria was Conan Buzby.

Buzby lives in Alaska but recently has been staying with a friend in Boston. He says he came to the tent city after his friend told him about it, but says he only later learned about the living wage cause.

“It was an excuse to come to the Yard,” he says. “A lot of people were playing frisbee, eating, smoking, hanging out. Then you learn what it’s all about.”

--Staff Writer Andrew S. Holbrook can be reached at holbr@fas.harvard.edu.