All posts by David Obelcz

Local

32 trash bags and 51 shelter referrals after Cal Anderson Park sweep

[SEATTLE] (Malcontent News) – At 7:34 AM on Friday, the LRAD announcements started that the unhomed and activists had 15 minutes to leave Cal Anderson Park. At day’s end, all that remained were 24 arrests, 32 clear trashbags of personal belongings, and at the most, 12 people place into semi-permanent or permanent housing. As darkness and cold rain fell over the park, SPD officers sat in cruisers parked on the ballfields with the park ironically barricaded by yellow tape. 

According to Sgt. Randy Huserik, Seattle Police Public Information Officer, Seattle Police’s role on Friday was “to provide security for Seattle Parks Department employees.” During the 17 minutes between the first LRAD announcement to vacate the park and officers moving in, SPD declared a tent with resources for the unhomed was available on Broadway Avenue. When people went to the location, no tent or city employees were present.

In the minutes after the sweep, Malcontent News cameras walked through the cleared encampment and found no one checking belongings. At 8:59 AM, a convoy of city vehicles and garbage trucks arrived. Eleven minutes later, park employees started moving through the shattered compound. Ninety minutes after that, dump trucks and backhoes were pulverizing belongings and tents. The city should have saved items, including undamaged plastic furniture, tables, and bicycles, that witnesses saw thrown away. City officials indicated that 32 clear plastic bags of personal belongings were available to be claimed by their owners. 

According to KOMO, a local ABC affiliate, 51 people who were unhomed at Cal Anderson Park were “referred” to possible housing solutions in the days leading to the raid. In the same report, the city stated eight received referrals to tiny homes or hotels, 6 to youth or young adult shelters, 32 more to hotels, and one went back to Olympia. The city could not provide information on the other three placement referrals. At the most, 12 received referrals for semi-permanent or permanent housing or secured their own solution based on that information. Youth and young adult shelters only provide temporary placement. Hotel vouchers aren’t permanent placements and typically last only for days. The disposition of the person who went back to Olympia is unknown. 

The reality, as has been the case after other homeless sweeps, most of those removed will be back on the streets in the weeks to come. In another report on KOMO last night, the station asked their viewers if they thought the homeless would return to Cal Anderson Park. Ninety-five percent responded, “yes.”

Weather

Miserable weekend ahead with three storms passing through Puget Sound

[KIRKLAND] (Malcontent News) – An atmospheric river of energy flowing across the Pacific and will point a firehose at the Puget Sound lowland this weekend. A cold front will bring a burst of rain on Friday night, but that’s only a preview for Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. A Flood Watch is in effect for King County, with 3 to 5 inches of rain predicted for the Cascades.

For the Kirkland-Bellevue-Woodinville area, heavier rains will arrive between 2 PM and 4 PM tomorrow and continue into the evening. For the lowlands, you can expect half-an-inch of rain. South winds will increase through the day, reaching their peak between 10 PM and midnight. The National Weather Service has not issued a Wind Advisory, but we wouldn’t be surprised to see one issued for Saturday night into Sunday morning.

Sunday is more of a showery day with calmer winds, but over the 24 hours, another 3/10 to half-inch of rain will fall. Monday is looking like another washout with steady rain for most of the day, turning into showers in the early evening. Another half-inch of rain could fall, and it will also be windy.

Tomorrow would be a good day to check any local storm drains to make sure they are clear of leaves or debris. On Saturday night, it is possible for spotty power outages, especially in the usual trouble spots such as Finn Hill in Kirkland. 

Breaking News, Local, National

Seattle Police Arrest 21 in early morning sweep of Cal Anderson Park

1 Comment

[SEATTLE] (Malcontent News) – Seattle Police Department, supported by King County Sheriff, executed a homeless sweep of Cal Anderson Park this morning, arresting 21. As the first glint of daylight appeared over cold and wet Cal Anderson, Seattle Police arrived at 7:34 AM. Using an LRAD, SPD made multiple announcements that people within the park had 15 minutes to vacate or face potential arrest. By early afternoon the park was clear, and Seattle Parks was well on its way to removing the encampment.

Activists had built a network of barricades over the weekend and steadily reinforced them over the week. On Wednesday, Seattle Police had planned to do a sweep but at the last minute changed direction. Later in the morning, Ada Yeager filed a temporary restraining order request with the federal court, looking to block the sweep. On Wednesday afternoon, activists took over an empty home on Denny, close to the northeast corner of Cal Anderson. On Thursday afternoon, U.S. District Judge Richard Jones denied the TRO.

[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”13″ gal_title=”Cal Anderson Park Homeless Sweep – December 18″]

Overnight on Thursday, there were two attacks on the homeless encampment. A person threw an explosive device at a parked vehicle in an incident described as a targeted attack. Seattle Police described the incident as arson. There were multiple reports of either fireworks or a flaming arrow shot into the encampment, with no reported injuries.

Seattle police describe the fire bombing of a car as arson.

On Friday morning, black-clad protesters again started to gather in anticipation of the sweep. Seattle Police made multiple announcements for people to vacate the park or face arrest and stated a tent was available on Broadway Avenue for the unhomed to get support and information. At 7:52 AM, SPD moved in from multiple directions, with bike officers coming from the north and combined resources from the south. Simultaneous, a SWAT team raided the abandoned house on Denny.

Many expected strong resistance from the contingent of protesters and the estimated 30 to 50 homeless within the encampment. An opposition that never materialized. Seattle Police swept through quickly, tearing through the barricades on three sides. By 8:25 AM, the park was mostly quiet, beyond the King County Sheriff Department helicopter overhead.

In Thursday’s court hearing, city officials assured the federal court it had a plan for gathering and returning personal property after the sweep, per the Seattle Times. City representatives indicated they would only throw-away items that were damaged, wet, or soiled. Judge Jones expressed concern, indicating accurately that in December, everything is wet in Seattle. At 9:10 AM, a convoy of vehicles arrived, including multiple garbage trucks. It soon became apparent as workers tore down tents without doing any documentation that nothing would be spared.

During the raid, witnesses reported seeing Seattle Police destroying food, clothing, and medical supplies at mutual aid tents set up on 11th Ave, and breaking glass could be heard. There appeared to be no effort to document or collect any personal belongings by officials. By late morning, another convoy of heavy construction equipment arrived. Backhoes started chewed through tents, sleeping materials, furniture, and bikes, tossing them into the back of awaiting dump trucks.

Questions have arisen about police conduct, with a citizen video provided to Malcontent News. In the video, SPD placed an individual in a chokehold during an arrest. In the video, citizens plead with SPD to stopping choking the suspect. Despite Seattle Police claiming there was a tent with resources for the unhomed on Broadway Ave, no tent or representative was there. In talking to the incident PIO, they indicated they did not know what resources were available.

Through public and private investment, the city of Seattle spends over $1 billion a year on homelessness. Despite a decade long effort, Seattle now has the third-largest homeless population in the United States.

Local

Seattle Police and protesters locked in stalemate at Cal Anderson Park

[SEATTLE] (Malcontent News) – Seattle Police appeared to be a no-show for a planned homeless encampment sweep at Cal Anderson Park, as the rain started to fall on a cold December afternoon. Activists built an elaborate series of barricades around the central part of Cal Anderson Park, encompassing the Shelter House and blocking sections of 11th Ave and Nagle Place. Protesters took inspiration from Red House on Mississippi in Portland with their ongoing action to prevent the homeless sweep.

Notices went up over the weekend of an impending sweep of the homeless encampment at Cal Anderson Park.

As dawn rose over Seattle, spirits were high as mutual aid fed the unhomed and activists. Someone set off a firework in the early morning hours, creating tension in the encampment. At 7:35 AM, Seattle Police arrived at the northeast corner of the park, and another column of vehicles drove on the south side. Activists have caches of rocks, broken bricks staged in several areas, and shields ready at entry and exit points.

[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”11″ gal_title=”Cal Anderson Stalemate December 16″]

As some of the unhomed started to pack, the occupants awaited the siege, which never came. Around 8:30 AM, a tent burst into flames outside of the barricades. One individual told Malcontent News the tent caught on fire by accident due to a firework. In contrast, another individual said the tent was lit on fire on purpose by its owner because they didn’t want Seattle Police taking their belongings. Within minutes all that remained was a smoldering pile, as activists brought buckets of water to extinguish the flames.

By late morning there was an air of boredom, as many started to say aloud they did not think that the sweep would happen. A group of people dressed in black bloc threw rocks at a couple of individuals filming from Broadway Ave. In another area in Cal Anderson Park, activists continued to reinforce the barricades, while people brought clothing, food, and hot coffee to mutual aid. With this backdrop, people that live in the neighborhood worked out, walked dogs, and met each other as if nothing was happening just 100 feet away.

Protesters also broke into the Shelter House, using a battering ram to break through welded steel plates and, in one case, through the wall of the building itself. Seattle Parks had welded the doors shut and surrounded the Shelter House with fencing earlier this year to keep the homeless and activists serving the community out. The closing of the Shelter House has been a contention point with homeless advocates, mutual aid, and people in the neighborhood. After access was blocked and water and electricity turned off, two doors were ripped off of bathrooms and the fence cut. Seattle Parks replaced one door and welded steel plating over the other opening. We interviewed three different people who lived on Capitol Hill, and all of them stated that the closing of the Shelter House and blocking of mutual aid made no sense.

raw video feed from cal Anderson park – December 15, 2020

As the activity at the Shelter House continued, news helicopters hovered overhead. A single-engine aircraft also buzzed Cal Anderson Park at a very low altitude, and moments later, the King County Sheriff helicopter hovered low doing tight circles.

The fortifications are on a similar scale to what activists built around Red House on Mississippi. There was speculation by many that Seattle Police and Seattle Parks are reevaluating the situations and weighing their options. The homeless crisis has gotten steadily worse in Seattle over the last decade despite an estimated $1 billion a year spent addressing the problem. Many government officials and homeless advocates are concerned that the situation will worsen if Congress does not act to extend the CARES Act or create a new stimulus package before the end of the year.

BIPOC, National

Malcontent News gets rare look behind the barricades at Red House on Mississippi

Video

From Malcontentment Happy Hour, December 14, 2020

Activists take down the outer barricades on Sunday as tension with Portland officials eases

With a successful GoFundMe completed, the city admitting they were wrong, and tensions in decline, activists removed the outer barricades around Red House on Mississippi on Sunday. Malcontent News cameras were given a rare behind the barricades look, with permission.

BIPOC, Local

Olympia marred by right-wing violence on December 12

Video

From Malcontentment Happy Hour, December 14, 2020

Forest Machala charged with first-degree assault and Stephen Kurtz charged with four-degree assault

Stop the Steal and anti-mask protesters clashed with counterprotesters in Olympia, Washington. When it was over there were three arrests and one person shot.

Forest Machala is facing first-degree assault charges, the equivalent of attempted murder in Washington state, for his actions on December 12, 2020.

Video shows violence and has racial slurs. Viewer discretion is advised.

BIPOC, National

Right-Wing election violence accelerates across the United States

Video

From Malcontentment Happy Hour, December 14, 2020

Washington D.C., Portland, Sacramento, Olympia, and Lexington see a violence-marred weekend

From Washington D.C., to Louisville, to Seattle, to Sacramento, to Portland, political violence rocked the United States.

Health and Lifestyle, Local

First Doses of COVID Vaccine Arrives in Washington

Video

From Malcontentment Happy Hour, December 14, 2020

Front line health care workers will be first to receive the Pfizer Vaccine

The first batch of Pfizer’s COVID vaccine arrives in Washington state, and distribution will start on December 15. Although this is good news for the future, we won’t be taking our masks off any time soon, and without widescale acceptance, herd immunity will be delayed.

National

Up to 40 million face homelessness if Congress doesn’t act

Video

From Malcontentment Happy Hour, December 14, 2020

Up to 40 million Americans face homelessness as eviction and foreclosure crisis looms

In response to the looming economic collapse, Congress passed the CARES Act, which included a one-time stimulus check of $1200 for some Americans, the Payroll Protection Program (PPP), and a moratorium on evictions and foreclosures. Despite trillions in aid, gaping holes remained that Main Street and American families have fallen through. Banks did not get guardrails on how to manage forbearances. Congress didn’t waive rent, only deferred it, and didn’t provide any financial support for small landlords. Twelve-million American households find themselves more than $5000 behind on rent, and six-million households face foreclosure.

Congressional leaders and the White House have agreed in principle that another stimulus package is needed, but hyper-partisan politics has destroyed any forward progress. In 20 days, the CARES Act and all of its protections evaporate. If Congress takes no action, the transfer of $2.5 trillion in wealth to large scale investors, private equity, and large corporations will begin.