So it comes to this. After seven months and two legislative efforts to shut down the Occupy Boise protest, a federal judge has spoken.

And he said, in essence, to keep off the grass.

U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill on Friday ordered Occupy Boise protesters to move off the lawn at the old Ada County Courthouse by Wednesday. The eight-week de-Occupation will allow the state Department of Administration to assess damage to the lawn and rehabilitate the grounds.

That’s reasonable. But this is also all the 2012 Legislature has to show for trying to scuttle the Occupy encampment — a protest that might well have fizzled out on its own accord, if not for the mobilizing force of political ham-handedness.

The Occupy presence already is dwindling. As the weather warms up, some demonstrators have taken down their tents because they say they’ve been confronted by vagrants.

The Occupy “problem,” as perceived by the Legislature, may well have taken care of itself. Much like grass has a way of growing back.

“Our View” is the editorial position of the Idaho Statesman. It is an unsigned opinion expressing the consensus of the Statesman’s editorial board. To comment on an editorial or suggest a topic, email editorial@idahostatesman.com.