Protesters Take Over Seattle City Hall To Fight Homeless Sweeps
By Kate Walters & Megan Farmrer for KUOW - As the council considers the 2018 city budget, amendments have been proposed to achieve both goals. But whether the provisions will receive enough support to make it into the final budget is questionable. Emily McArthur is a member of the Housing for All coalition, one of the groups that organized Wednesday’s protest. She said there’s a lot at stake as council members decide what to include in the final budget. “It’s not just people sleeping outside, which you could wring your hands about and feel morally bad about, but 66 people have died just so far this year. So there’s a body count to 'business as usual politics,'” McArthur said. One after the other, dozens of people stood to tell council members that the city’s practice of evicting people from unauthorized tent camps is harmful. Travis Thompson said it’s traumatizing to see people pushed from place to place. “What little stability you have is ruined. And we put them closer to death by doing that,” Thompson said.