Protests at City Council
A diverse group of Chico citizens protested the ongoing evictions of unhoused people with no places to go at the last council meeting. (There are still no shelters accepting new clients, and the hotel rooms that were rented are full, with long waitlists.)
Some carried signs that showed the names, faces and brief stories of people living on our streets.
Some carried lists of the people the homeless people that have died in the past year; the number is now up to 18.
Others staged a “die-in,” lying on the sidewalks and near stairways with lists of those who have died on their chests to honor the dead.
One man, Robert VanFleet, was arrested for “obstructing the walkway” minutes after Sean Morgan and Matt Madden had walked by him - see bottom two pictures. Robert is on the ground on the left.
Most of the on-duty police arrived to “guard” the council from these peaceful protestors.
We’d like to invite everyone who is concerned about this ongoing injustice to join us at the next council meeting. Bring a sign, or just show up and stand in solidarity with those who have no other options.
We must insist on actual solutions, not just, as Morgan said on the radio, “moving them, and moving them…until they leave.”
Photo Credit Jodi Rives and Bill Mash
