Tent City (St. Pete) needs your help

[recoveringrepublican]

Here are two messages. This is a great group of people. If possible please show your support in anyway you can. You can find out even more information by contacting

www.stpeteforpeace.org



Help Us Organize Safety Vigils at Tent City (15th Street and 5th Avenue North, St Pete)
Tent city needs your help to keep watch over the residents with phones and video cameras. We would like to schedule shifts of 2-3 hours (or whatever you can spare) to help keep on eye on tent city. We believe the police are waiting for a gap during which they will attempt to evict or harass the tent city residents. Please come and help keep the residents of tent city and their personal belongings safe! If you have a video camera, please bring it. If you have a camera to lend, please lend it.

For more information or to schedule your watch, please email [e-mail], or call Chuck at 727-564-6907 or Kathleen at 727-804-8874.

Thank you in advance for your help, caring and support.



TENT CITY UPDATE: Memorial Service/Vigil for Slain Victims, David Heath and Jeffery Shultz.


Hello everyone, this is Rev. Bruce Wright. As many know, 2 homeless men were murdered last week, one of which was a resident of tent city. Monday night, Jan.22nd at 7 pm we will be having a memorial service/vigil for these slain victims, David Heath and Jeffery Shultz.

It will take place at American Baptist Church of the Beatitudes, 2812 8th St. North in St. Petersburg. It will be officiated by myself and Rev. Phillip-Miller Evans. We will also give opportunity for members of the homeless community to say a few words and select other guests.

Please come out show you grief and support. For more information please call 727 278 1547 or email [e-mail] .

As many know, tent city has been re-erected. And, at the moment everything seems quiet. It seems to be a waiting game at this point. Tommorrow the National Coalition for the Homeless will be coming to town and also legal counsel will be looking at the first steps in legal action. We will probably have a press conference at some point.

Apparently, as of this email, there is an impromptu protest happening at Mayor Baker's Church. This is not something we initiated, but concerned citizens did. A reporter called me about it, so I haven't been able to confirm this.

We, of course, still need support. Your letters, emails and calls to the Mayor at important, as well as to the media, and the St.Petersburg Police Department and the Fire Marshall.

Additionally, we need more fire retardant tents, port a potties, blankets, batteries, pre paid cell phone, snacks, Water, sleeping bags, first aid kits, socks and underwear, as well as financial support. Please call 727 278 1547 for details or email [e-mail].


To send financial gifts, please call us. Thank you to all who have responded. We have recieved emails from all over the country. Additionally, the National Wire service may be taking this up, as well as CNN.

Sincerely, Rev. Bruce Wright




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.myfoxtampabay.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detail?contentId=2115501&version=3&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=VSTY&pageId=1.1.1

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

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 [e-mail])

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
[e-mail]
St. Pete City Council
727-893-7117
[e-mail]


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


Rev Bruce Wright wrote....

Hello, I am sorry you haven't heard from me in while via Email. I have been very busy with other advocates trying to fend off the Mayor's and others attempts to shut down the 2 new tent cities on public land. Well things have come to a head and we need everyone to participate now!! In the last 24 hours The Fire Marshall and the Police department have taken down tent cities at both sites (15th st./4th ave. North and 9th st. and 4th ave. North) under the guise of saying they were "safety" hazards. Of course, no thought to the safety hazard of the homeless being exposed and without protection. Or, not much thought about Murderers being on the loose that Killed 2 homeless Men(one of which was a tent city resident). But, we put the tents back up, as a protest. Both sites were, of course, on public land. This morning, we (myself and Eric Rubin) were asked to meet with Law enforcement and the Fire Marshall to discuss a resolution to the "problem". It was agreed at this meeting that the tent site on 9th street would be taken down and moved to the other site and consolidated. We brought this to the homeless, and they agreed with the understanding the homeless community was going to work on complying with Fire Marshall's concern and that now action would be taken without notifying the advocates/supporters (Eric and myself), and we would inform the homeless residents of tent city. Well, we were betrayed. In a late afternoon secret meeting, that was leaked to us, the "higher ups" ordered that the tents be taken down immediately. They then proceeded to attack the tent city, without letting us know, even though they promised to tell us. In matter of less than 5 minutes, the Police and Fire officials in a cowardly move went with lightening speed and slashed around 15 tents with razor blades, in half, in some cases, with the homeless still in the tents. Before most of us could be there and before the media could be there. THIS IS AN OUTRAGE AND A CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY!! THIS IS A VIOLATION OF THE UN DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS!
We are calling upon all people of good conscience to protest this crime that leaves the homeless vunerable to the elements, lack of privacy, with murderers of the homeless still at large, to join us in PROTEST!! Please come to tent city with tents and a willingness to sleep out with us at 15th St. north and 5th Ave. North at St. Vincent's. Call me at 727 278 1547 or Eric at 727 560 9716 for details tonight. We have conclusive footage of the slashing of private property by the Police in this ATTACK on the poor and homeless. Please do not stand for these Gestapo Tactics by the Police, as the Mayor's "Goon Squad"!! We will also be looking at Protest the Mayor directly at a site to be announced. Thank you, yours in the struggle for Human Rights for all, Rev. Bruce Wright PS. We are also pursuing legal action
PLEASE STAY TUNED...MORE TO COME








http://stpeteforpeace.org/tentcity.html
www.projectdowntown.org

"If the people lead, then eventually the leaders will follow." ~ Thomas Jefferson

[graywarrior]

1. I posted this on the video page

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x13777