Anonymous no more

When homeless activists started the occupation of City Hall grounds on December 8, there wasn’t much action in the local media. But this past Monday night, the 35th day of this homeless campout in the shadow of the city’s headquarters, nearly every television station in town was parked on Ninth Street. Cameras rolled at 5 p.m. as protesters elevated signs and shouted “We demand / a right to rest.” And, online, videos allegedly from hacker group Anonymous trickled on to YouTube.

It’s been a long five weeks for the homeless occupiers. On New Year’s Day, the city manager’s office sent some 50 police officers, many sporting riot gear helmets and masks, into the camp just before midnight, which led to seven citations, including four arrests.

Subsequent police actions eased up on the show of force. Yet enforcement persists; 12 arrests in total this year, plus at least five citations for illegal camping. The first court date for protesters is next week, January 21.

This past Saturday morning, January 9, police confiscated all the tables, blankets, sleeping bags, tarps and tents at the occupation. Activists used these items for serving food and keeping warm, but the city considers such “paraphernalia” illegal under its anti-camping ordinance. The protest leaders, James Clark and David Andre, were arrested for the second time this past Saturday morning.

Yet Clark and Andre were back at it again this past Monday, vowing to remain at City Hall indefinitely.

Meanwhile, Mayor Kevin Johnson created a task force to explore homelessness solutions, including a possible “safe ground” camp. Council members Jeff Harris, Steven Hansen and Jay Schenirer were appointed.

Activist Clark says a short-term goal is to get homeless people on the task force. “It’s essential to get our voices heard,” Clark told SN&R. “It won’t be effective without [them], and it will end up being another ’task farce.’”

Also during the past three weeks, videos from a group claiming to be part of Anonymous showed up on YouTube. The videos urge the city to leave homeless people alone and put a moratorium on enforcement of the anti-camping ordinance.

A Twitter profile affiliated with the group, @OpRight2Rest, also posted what they claim are hacked documents with the private home addresses and phone numbers of the mayor and council members.

In the coming month, council members plan to visit Seattle to learn more about how that city deals with its homelessness challenges.