Homeless People told to Move On
By Mike Rhodes

The homeless in downtown Fresno are under attack again. On Monday (November 6), a BNSF railway agent named A.J. (Jean) Daly stopped by Charles and Steve’s shelter. Charles and Steve are homeless. You can see a picture of that tent here: http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2006/11/05/18326764.php . According to Charles, the agent left her business card. On the back, it said “you need to move to a different location - away from any railroad tracks. If you do not - you may be arrested. Thank you. 11/6/06.” Yesterday, a railroad agent returned and demanded that Steve immediately move the shelter. Charles was not around at the time. Steve had a camera, given to him by the Community Alliance newspaper, which he intended to use to document the situation. The railroad agent told Steve that if he took a photo, he would arrest him.

This morning the Fresno Police Department (FPD) and agents from the San Joaquin Valley railroad arrived at the encampment near San Benito and H street. They told numerous homeless people that they had to move their shelters off railroad land or they would be arrested. Gino, who lives near the railroad, told me “these guys from the railroad have been coming by here talking to me for three years. They have never told me to move.” For photos and a short story about Gino, see: http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2006/10/26/18323549.php . Gino said there were about a dozen FPD officers accompanying the railroad workers. He said “the city got the railroad to kick us out because of the lawsuit.” The lawsuit, which was filed in Federal court last month, has stopped the city from taking and immediately destroying homeless peoples property. For more information about the lawsuit see: http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2006/10/17/18321050.php and http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2006/11/08/18328081.php .

Denny, who is homeless and lives near Van Ness avenue in downtown Fresno, told me this afternoon that he was told by city workers today that he would no longer be able to sleep in his shelter. Denny wondered what the city was going to do and where he was going to sleep? Gino had a similar question. “Where are we going to go? If the railroad kicks me out of here and I move to the vacant land over there (he points to a field a short distance away) then will the owner or the police tell me to move on?”

###