Since taking down their encampment from outside the San Luis Obispo County courthouse March 4, leaders of the Occupy SLO movement announced Tuesday that they’re taking their efforts in a new direction.

Occupy SLO is a local variant of the national movement formed in the fall to draw attention to what its leaders describe as the inequitable distribution of wealth in the United States.

An email from Occupy SLO member Tori McGrath said that the group voluntarily took their canopies down — which had been up for nearly five months — because “we are now refocusing our energy on organizing actions that more effectively create awareness of the political and economic problems facing our country today.”

The group’s weekly activities will now continue at various spots around San Luis Obispo, including bringing various demonstrations back to the courthouse.

A silent march through the downtown Farmers Market, a celebration to honor the six-month anniversary of Occupy Wall Street and a mixture of discussion forums are among the planned activities.

“The physical presence of Occupy SLO had been at the courthouse for over 140 days … and did so without any of the violent police raids experienced by other occupations. We can only consider this a success,” McGrath wrote.

For more information on the group’s regular activities and how to participate, visit the General Assembly of Occupy San Luis Obispo’s website at www.occupyslo.org.