As organizations who are supporting Laurelhurst, we're excited to see so much energy towards stopping the sweeps.

We would like to remind folks that we're in someone's home and need to be respectful. Full statement on behalf of folks living at Laurelhurst below:

It warms our hearts to see energy being poured into the community many of us hold so dearly, and attention paid to a population that is often otherwise invisible.

A “normal” campsite eviction happens 2-10 days after the city posts a notice. Exact sweep intel is rare. Evictions are intentionally opaque; the city anticipates resistance.

In this case, HUCIRP reps alerted those of us who serve Laurelhurst, hoping to pass the buck to us to clean and relocate the camp so they wouldn’t have to spend money and time.

We immediately stopped by to ask what support they wanted. In doing so, we got their consent to call our community to action.

An eviction defense is not an autonomous direct action. It’s meant to center those at risk, & we fear this message may have been lost in the excitement.

The camp residents appreciate beyond belief all of the food, supplies, and camaraderie—but many are uncomfortable with and stressed by aspects of the defense.

First, many feel the action has become more of a desire to socialize and feed egos than stand in solidarity with them.

Second, the 24-hour presence of loud strangers in their homes feels invasive and excessive. Folks who wished to quietly pack up and leave feel unable to do so under constant surveillance.

Third, folks are uneasy with the presence of black bloc, protective gear and heckling of police. Many houseless folks have experienced significant trauma at the hands of police, are not arrestable, and are terrified of police intervention.

Respect quiet hours, don’t yell at cops or neighborhood Karens. We are under public scrutiny, and any consequences will fall on the residents, not us. This is not a time to throw a party—this is a heavy topic and should be treated as such.

Thank you all so much for your support of this action; please keep all houseless comrades in mind after this. Find a camp in your neighborhood and focus on it.

Build relationships with those folks, and ask how you can support them best. Offer community and friendship, and community and friendship will be offered in return.