Skip to main content

Duluth Turns Out in Oppositon to Proposals to Criminalize Homelessness

The City of Duluth has proposed a series of ordinances, which if passed, would further criminalize being homeless, as well as allow for the city to shut down the Gaza protest encampment in front of City Hall.  The City announced its plans at a press conference on July 9.  The ordinances were subsequently proposed to the City Council on July 15 by Councilor Tara Swenson.  It is believed they may be voted on as soon as the July 29 Council meeting.

While Mayor Reinert's administration, and their supporters on the Council, are trying to frame their initiative as a benevolent package to improve public safety, what they really are is a grab bag of reactionary proposals  to further criminalize being homeless, as well as various forms of protest.

  

And judging by the turnout at the July 15 Council meeting, very few are falling for the Mayor's attempt to whitewash this reactionary move.  Almost 200 people turned out to show their opposition (100 crammed into the Council chambers itself, with another 75 in the hallway unable to fit in and two dozen outside in the Gaza protest encampment) - an historic turnout for a matter before the Council!  So many folks lined up for the public comment section of the meeting that it went from 7pm until 10:30pm.

Among the speakers were numerous representatives of the various groups and non-profits who work on the city's housing crisis, who were outraged at not being consulted by the City on these proposed changes.  Immediately prior to the July 15 Council meetings, these groups issued an open letter to the mayor stating their grave concerns.  Among the groups that signed on were CHUM, Union Gospel Mission, Safe Haven, 1 Roof, Damiano Center, Loaves & Fishes, AICHO, Arc Northland, Center City Housing, MN Coalition for the Homeless, Center for Alchohol & Drug Treatment, Life House, Bob Tavani Medical Respite House and Harm Reduction Sisters.

Also speaking were various clergy, Gaza solidarity activists and community activists.  But the most powerful speakers were the folks experiencing homelessness themselves.  

Only three people spoke in favor, and the only organization present in support of the ordinances was the Chamber of Commerce.

We want to thank everyone who turned out on July 15, and a special thank you to the organizers and the speakers!  We urge folks to turn out again at the next City Council on July 29.  It will start at 7pm and will be held in the Council Chambers on the 3rd floor of City Hall.  If you'd like to speak at it, get there a little early and sign up on the sing up sheet in the front of the Council Chambers.

We also urge folks to familiarize themselves with the actual reactionary proposals.  Here are links to each of the proposed ordinances:

1. Ordinance to redefine abandoned property

2. Ordinance to change the language and establish disturbing the neighborhood as a misdemeanor offense and modifying language for false soliciting

3. Ordinance to amend the definition of graffiti and establish defacement and/or possession of graffiti implements as a misdemeanor

4. Ordinance prohibiting camping on city property

5. Ordinance amending the city code to make violations applicable on publicly owned property and make certain violations misdemeanors

6. Ordinance making defacing the skywalk a misdemeanor and prohibiting smoking or vaping in the skywalk

7. Ordinance amending the city code to make blocking passage on streets and sidewalks, as well as operating an ATV unlawfully on public land, a misdemeanor

8. Ordinance amending the city code to make it a misdemeanor to unlawfully posses or fire an airgun or gel soft gun

9. Ordinance to update the city ordinances on open burning and tent and membrane structures

10. Ordinance prohibiting marking or placing signs on Priley Fountain

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Activist Calendar

Starting this Tuesday: MNA Strike @ Essentia Health; every day from 7am to 5:30pm on the 1st & 2nd Street of the Essentia Duluth campus, Essentia Superior and the Miller Hill Mall. Tuesday, July 8: Resist Trump Protest; Noon at Blandin Bridge & Riverside Park in Grand Rapids .  Tuesday, July 8: Stop ICE Protest; 4pm in front of the Government Center in Superior.  Sponsored by Anti-Imperialist Action .  Tuesday, July 8: Hilltop Protest to Stop the Trump Administration; 4:30pm at the corner of Central Entrance & Rice Lake Road in Duluth.  Sponsored by Northland Protests . Wednesday, July 9: Disability PRIDE Celebration; 11am to 2pm; City Hall in Duluth.  Sponsored by Self-Advocates MN and Advocating Change Together .  Wednesday, July 9: Immigrant Solidarity Protest; noon on the corner of E 60th Avenue & Superior Street in Duluth.  Sponsored by Twin Ports Against Weapons Trade .    Wednesday, July 9: Protest MN DOGE; 5pm o...
Read more

A Little Bit About Us . . .

MISSION STATEMENT: The Northwoods Socialist Collective is a group of working class activists based in northern Minnesota and Wisconsin.  We believe everyone should have a say in the matters that affect their lives.  That is why we are socialists.  We advocate for a socialism that is revolutionary, internationalist and feminist, as well as being anti-racist, anti-ableist, anti-imperialist, environmentally sustainable and fully committed to LGBTQAI+ liberation.  We invite you to join us in the struggle to make our communities and world a better place! Below is an attempt to list the things that we do, and the framework that we have for achieving the goals listed is our Mission Statement. POLITICAL EDUCATION: We feel that a crucial part of building a socialist movement is political education.  We encourage our members to study Marxist theory, and to apply it to understand how the world works and what can be done to change it.  We put on monthly Socialism and...
1 comment
Read more

Getting Involved

Karl Marx powerfully that "philosophers have sought to interpret the world, the point, however, is to change it."  Towards that end here is a list of ways that we encourage folks who are looking to make their community and world a better place to plug into: CALENDAR: The Northwoods Socialist Collective publishes a weekly calendar of activist events going on throughout northern MN and WI.  It's a great way to stay in the loop!  To sign up to get it by email fill out this form .  You can also find the calendar posted on our website , facebook page , twitter and instagram page .  We publish it every Tuesday.  The local DSA chapter also puts out a weekly calendar, as does Claire B , both of which we also recommend. MEETINGS: We hold monthly Socialism and a Slice current events discussions which are a great way to find out about what's going on in our community, and how you can get involved.  Some months we feature a local activist talking about an ...
Post a Comment
Read more