Groan.

(The Hill) — Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) said Monday that city officials need to support Occupy protest demonstrations until the movement finds its identity.

“The Occupy movement nationally supports closing all the disparities, the income gap, the inequality that has permeated now our country,” Lee told San Francisco’s local ABC affiliate. “We want to make sure that the goals of this movement are heard and that people get that support.”

Lee said she believes the movement’s agenda and leadership will come in time and that city officials need to work with the protesters to find a strategy to balance free speech and public safety.

“We don’t know how it ends. What I don’t want to see in Oakland and throughout the country is a movement becomes stifled,” Lee said. Lee represents Oakland, Calif. where demonstrators have been camped in front of City Hall for several weeks.

“No one wants to destroy or hurt small businesses, the port or the truckers. If you ask me, they’re part of the 99.8 percent,” Lee said, referring to the movement’s “We are the 99 percent” motto, a response to their criticism of the wealthiest 1 percent of people.

The Oakland City Council debated on Monday whether to continue to allow the Occupy Oakland camp to remain indefinitely. Lee argued that protesters should be allowed to stay. Lee has maintained staunch support of the Occupy Oakland movement through the various incidents, emphasizing the peaceful actions of protesters.

“The destructive actions of a small minority of protestors are unacceptable. I continue to call for non-violence and support the free speech rights of the protestors, as well as the small businesses, local workers, and the 99 percent,” Lee said in a press release last week.