While accurate information is hard to come by as usual I will say that it was not in Eureka but Arcata and that 16 people were arrested and all but 2 released. Those 2 either will not give their names or simply don’t have IDs.
The most credible rumor is that the police, there in numbers, were very confrontational and not met with any sort of violence on the part of protestors. Also that Phoenix was bruised and one man appeared to have a broken arm.
I have also heard that there were a lot of complaints from neighbors leading up to the police assault and battery and that the porta potty had been confiscated a day or two ago for lack of a permit. The complaints and abusive behavior by police, who do not command the respect they demand, are at the root of the problem both in the case of homelessness here and the ability of the Bush thugs being able to do all the evil they have done.
I will post any information I get to Humboldt Revolution but, in lieu of that, I suppose we will have to rely on the Arkely Reporter and Times Standard for current information as usual.
UPDATE from Susan McGee
**Community Alert**   Wednesday April 25, 2007
(This is one partial account of the events this morning, please involve yourself and be an active participant in this struggle, read bottom for more information on community response )

Early this morning around 6am the Peoples Project Encampment located on D st. and 11th was raided by Police.

At least 25 Police Officers were present, at times many more than that, there were too many to count. There were officers from police units from all over the area including Arcata Police Department, Eureka Police Department, University Police Department, California Highway Patrol, Park Ranger, Fortuna Police, and Humboldt County Sheriffs. The peaceful encampment was disassembled by the police and the belongings of the encampment were confiscated by police.
Participants in the encampment gathered peacefully in a circle were then arrested and put in Police Wagons and taken to Euerka.
16 People Were Arrested.

One man went into a seizure while being arrested, some accounts say he may have been stunned with a tazer gun.
Police made no apparent effort to call an ambulance for the man, protestors themselves called an ambulance.  There were many people protesting the action by the police and actively observing police conduct. Many of the encampment participants were handled violently while being arrested.  

The encampment protest has been organized by People Project to reveal the crisis of persistent cruelty and human rights violations that houseless people face every day and every night in this community. The goal of the encampment protest is to generate community support for a free, people-run and eco-sustainable campground.  

The encampment successfully and peacefully created a safe place to sleep and eat since Saturday April 21st, embracing an honor code of respect, accountability, peaceful relations and health.  Park Ranger Bob Murphy facilitated the removable of a rented B&B company portable restroom removed from the site on Saturday, the first day of the encampment leaving the encampment with no restroom.

There is no free and legal place for people to sleep.

People who are poor, houseless, homeless, and denied a dignified place to rest are Criminalized by policies and police.

This is a continuing community crisis that deserves our compassion, time and energy to end these human rights violations against our brothers and sisters that live in our community and create real alternatives that support peoples right to life, right to sleep, and a right to be on our own public spaces.

 
City Council Meeting
Tonight Wed. 4/25/07
7pm

Community Meeting
D st Community Center
Thursday 4/26/07
6pm

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