Quote:

But city officials said the tents were a code violation and a fire hazard.

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dr0mni said:

Subject: [sarasotafnb] Police Attack St. Pete Tent City

*Please send this to everyone you know, local and national media, call
radio stations, and demand the resignation of Mayor Rick Baker....make
phone calls...see bottom of email for numbers...*


*BREAKING!!! St Petersburg Police Officers Attack Tents With BoxCutters
While Homeless Residents Inside!*

At approximately 4pm today a group of 25 St Petersburg police officers
accompanied by SWAT units, and with the blessing of Mayor Baker,
attacked one of the two smaller tent cities that popped up after Mayor
Baker and the City of St Petersburg forced the closing of the Project
Coming Up Tent City last Friday on land provided by St.Vincent DePaul.

The officers slashed the tents up with boxcutters while the residents
were inside, which also comes on the heals of the beating deaths of two
homeless men, one of which was a former tent city resident and had a
full time job.

Earlier in the day Rev Bruce Wright of The Refuge in St Petersburg, a
homeless advocate, met with St Petersburg police officials to discuss
the two tent cities situated on pulic land, and agreed to the police
concessions, which obviously was not enough for the city.

*Now we must ask ourselves....who REALLY killed those two men??*

See Video here...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrPdZmPB36U


----------------------------------------------------------

*Officers destroy tents; Mayor backs melee*

Last Edited: Friday, 19 Jan 2007, 5:26 PM EST
Created: Friday, 19 Jan 2007, 5:21 PM EST

ST. PETERSBURG - The city of St. Petersburg's battle against its
homeless residents escalated today when police slashed their tents to
the ground and threw them away.

Homeless bystanders stood by and watched in shock, many with tears
streaming down their faces.

"This is sickening," said Viola resident, whose tent was cut up and
thrown out.

The plan was put together by the mayor's office, and the city police and
fire departments.

Fire department personnel and police showed up around 4 p.m. near the
intersection of 15th Street and 15th Avenue North.

Earlier this week, homeless residents were told they were okay to set up
their tents at that location.

But city officials said the tents were a code violation and a fire hazard.

Fire/rescue personnel closed off the street, then about 25 officer went
to work with boxcutters.

They cut the tents to ribbons, and then threw some away, but left some
on the ground.

They didn't move any of the belongings inside the tent.

The homeless nearby watched in shock.

One man was bent over, in tears.

"What are we, dogs?" said Wilson.

http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detail?contentId=2115929&version=3&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=1.1.1
<http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detail?contentId=2115929&version=3&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=1.1.1>;

For more information on the homeless situation and tent cities, please
visit: http://stpeteforpeace.org/tentcity.html

*FOR ADDITIONAL INFO, CONTACT:
Rev. Bruce at 727 278 1547
(or email bruce@stpeteforpeace.org <mailto:bruce@stpeteforpeace.org> )*

**WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP?**

**You can call the city and voice your outrage,****and demand that mayor
Rick baker resign immediately by contacting:**

**St. Pete mayor Rick Baker
727-893-7171
mayor@stpete.org <mailto:mayor@stpete.org>

St. Pete City Council
727-893-7117
council@stpete.org <mailto:council@stpete.org>**

**St. Petersburg Times, to submit a letter online at:
http://www.sptimes.com/letters/
**






I'm sorry, but this is disgusting! What right does the gov't have to send in StormTroopers to tear apart the shelters of people already so dispossessed of rights, property, and support by a community which is hell bent on exploiting their cheap labor for the construction of high-rise condos! These people don't even have a voice in the system, the least they should expect is that their meager shelter/property not be ripped to shreds in front of them by militarized police! Those in power need to stop viewing the homeless as a problem and recognize that they're condition is a SYMPTOM of a dysfunctional economic system and a culture which values profits and capital more than human beings and their dignity!



The other day, someone at our Food Not Bombs feeding in Sarasota described an audio recording that was being listened to in a police cruiser, referring to the homeless as "rats" that need to be "thrown in a cage". None of us were surprised that these were the attitudes of law enforcement, but all of us were saddened to hear this kind of hateful language being used to talk about human beings.



No matter how you feel about the causes or possible solutions to homelessness, I feel comfortable assuming that no one thinks it is right for a homeless persons' tent to be destroyed with boxcutters. That's like breaking an old man's cane and then telling him to get the hell out or your way as he stumbles! This just goes to show how cruel and systematic our society is in the pursuit of economic "development" and the maintainence of "lawful social order".


Homelessness is not a crime, Coercive Government IS!

Please Speak Out!

More info about the recent tent city saga of St. Petersburg on http://stpeteforpeace.org/

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