When the Coalition on Homelessness found out that there was going to be an encampment sweep on Sixth St, they planned a creative action to protest it. But by the time they got there, the sweep was over.
“When we arrived at the location, we found out from the people in the encampment there that the city had already come through and swept earlier than the notice they gave.”
That’s Julian Highsmith, the communications and policy director with the Coalition on Homelessness. He says their plan was to issue a symbolic “citation” to the police, who were enforcing the sweeps on Sixth St, but they didn’t get that opportunity. So instead, they gathered outside City Hall.
“People from all over the country come to San Francisco for a sanctuary city, whether you are brown, queer, disabled, it doesn't matter. This should be a safe place for everybody, on the sidewalks and off. End the sweeps. Now.”
That’s River Beck, also with the Coalition on Homelessness. Because their initial plan went awry, he and the group outside of City Hall instead issued a “citation” to Mayor London Breed.
“We are here trying to organize community for folks experiencing homelessness who don't have a voice. And so that's why we're issuing a citation to the mayor— and to the city — for a violation of human rights.”
Advocates say sweeps are counterproductive to solving the homelessness crisis. Beck told KALW that a study in Los Angeles called the Rand Study shows that sweeps don’t actually result in fewer people living on the street.
“What's happening is they'll take people's structures and tents and leave them without their belongings, and then they're still on the street. So there's still—people are still there. They may be on the next block and then move themselves back. They just don't have a tent to protect them anymore.”
On Thursday afternoon, a performance group called Skywatchers joined the protestors on the steps of City Hall to sing in protest.
Click the 'listen' button above to hear them sing.
