Seattle police clear homeless campers out of Cal Anderson Park
Sep 1, 2020, 12:44 PM | Updated: 5:34 pm
Seattle police stand outside Cal Anderson Park in August. (KIRO Radio, Nicole Jennings)
(KIRO Radio, Nicole Jennings)
Seattle police cleared homeless campers and supply tables out of Cal Anderson Park on Tuesday, the second time they had swept the park since mid-August.
Tuesday’s sweep, performed by uniformed SPD officers, was done at the behest of the Seattle Parks and Recreation, citing recent break-ins to Cal Anderson’s shelter house, concerns over contamination of a reservoir contained within the park, several 911 calls regarding bonfires, and complaints from Capitol Hill residents over “reported breathing issues as a consequence of the smoke from the illegal fires and the types of items burned.”
Parks staff members were reportedly on site “to address protest supply tents and personal belongings by providing storage, make repairs to parks facilities, and other improvements to deter break-ins and vandalism.”
‘Let Us Worship’ rally in Cal Anderson Park draws hundreds
“After the park was cleared, (Human Services Department) System Navigators were in the area to engage individuals experiencing homelessness with offers of shelter and services,” the City said in a written release. “Staff will work over the next week to mitigate damages to the park.”
Cal Anderson has been closed to the public since late June, despite protesters using it regularly as a rallying point, and a religious rally held in the park in early August that drew hundreds.
Police last swept the park in mid-August when they were met by a group of protesters. Not long after police left the area, campers and aid tables returned.
For this latest sweep, Parks and Recreation plans to have employees on-site daily to enforce the park’s closure.
As of Tuesday evening, the SPD public affairs office said it was aware of seven arrests, including three for assault, three for trespassing, and one for a felony warrant.
