Just one day after activists set up a camp for homeless people on Rosette Street, the city removed their tents — and took two organizers away in handcuffs.
That was the scene Friday afternoon in the Hill, where the police arrested Gregory Williams and Mark Colville after they refused to leave a piece of city-owned property at 211 Rosette St. Click the play arrow to see Colville taken away, in a video by Melinda Tuhus.
On Thursday, Williams and Colville had organized an encampment for homeless people following the closing of the seasonal 88-bed “overflow” shelter on Cedar Street. The Harp administration had told the activists that they were occupying the vacant lot illegally and would have to leave.
On Friday afternoon at 2 p.m., mayoral staffer Michael Harris (pictured) showed up at the encampment with four workers from the city housing agency the Livable City Initiative, two police officers, and five outreach workers from the Columbus House homelessness services agency.
They were armed with doughnuts and hot coffee, free umbrellas, and assessment forms for the city’s ongoing 100-day challenge to house New Haven’s chronically homeless.
Harris said the intention was to assess any homeless camping at the site, provide them with services, and then dismantle the encampment.
“We needed to get people off of this land,” Harris said. The encampment was an unacceptable and unsafe use of city property, he said.
Harris said the group found no homeless on the site, only Williams and Colville, both of whom have homes.
Williams and Colville refused to leave and were taken away by police. LCI staff then took down tents, carted everything away, and locked the gate to the property.
Harris said the city found five tents, only one of which appeared to have been slept in.
The city is in the middle of a coordinated effort to house the homeless, Harris said. “That is the solution” to the closing of the overflow shelter.
The property at Rosette Street has no bathrooms or showers, no guarantee of safety. If anybody were to be stabbed or robbed, the city would be liable, both legally and ethically, he said.
Luz Colville, Mark Colville’s wife, said three people slept at the camp Thursday night, including Williams and Colville, and seven were planning to sleep there Friday night. She said no homeless were at the camp when workers showed up because they were all out at appointments or other obligations.
Luz (pictured) said the campers had access to showers and bathrooms at the Amistad Catholic Worker house two doors down. She said the neighbors have been taking care of the property and the garden it contains. The camp was a drug-and-alcohol-free zone where people could feel safer than at some other homeless camps in town.
Luz said she recognized that the camp was not a permanent solution, but it was the best alternative given the situation.
“I don’t appreciate that they take our leaders,” said a man who declined to give his name. He said he slept at the camp Thursday night.
“I was going to stay tonight,” said Nicholas Terlecky. He said he came to the nearby Amistad Catholic Worker house for breakfast and was invited to stay. Terlecky said he was happy for the opportunity to get away from bedbugs in the shelters.
Terlecky said he was upset the camp was taken down. “They’re the only people trying to help the homeless!” he said. “I think it sucks.”
The city doesn’t have enough shelters, he said. “It’s like they’re ignoring us out here, like we’re scum to everybody.”
The city arranged for Terlecky and the other man to stay the night in a shelter. LCI gave them a ride there in a van.
“I think it’s ridiculous,” said Barbara Smith, who lives next door to the property. People have no place to stay now, she said. “Again, they’re homeless.”
Before leaving, LCI staff made a sign with a number for homeless people to call for assistance, if they returned to the camp and found it gone. They made their sign on the back of a protest sign that had hung at the camp, reading, “Where, then, shall we go?”
They were armed with doughnuts and hot coffee, free umbrellas, and assessment forms for the city's ongoing 100-day challenge to house New Haven's chronically homeless.
Political bribery.
Like I said This reminds me of the Aug. 6 1988 Tompkins Square Park Riot.There slogan was "Gentrification is Class War."
Tompkins Square Park Riot.
First signs of trouble.]
Though the park was a de facto homeless shelter, some residents considered the police department's actions an attempt to take the park away from the public. Protests were organized and a rally called for July 31.That night, police entered the park in response to alleged noise complaints, and by the end of the call several civilians and six officers were treated for injuries, and four men were arrested on charges of reckless endangerment and inciting to riot. Sarah Lewison, an eyewitness, said the protest was over rumors of a midnight curfew at the park and another witness, John McDermott, said the police provoked the melee.[8] Angry organizers planned another rally.
http://youtu.be/bunhcwSvil8
Like I said the Gentrification Vampires are coming.