15 seized in homeless protest

Fifteen people protesting the sweeps of homeless encampments in Seattle parks were arrested Monday morning after they blocked Cherry Street on the north side of City Hall in Seattle by pitching a tent in the street and standing in the road.

The protesters, who included homeless people and their supporters, including at least two clergymen, were arrested before 9:35 a.m. The 15 were interviewed and released, according to police spokesman Sean Whitcomb. He said it will be up to the City Attorney's office whether to file charges of pedestrian interference.

The last to be arrested was Dana Sutliffe, with the Real Change Organizing Project. She yelled, "Stop the sweeps!" as she was led away. Sutliffe said she is from Norway, and "to see people on the street here is just an atrocity for me."

John Moorehead, a homeless man who works construction jobs, said he participated in the blockade because "my camps have been raided three or four times when I'm trying to get ahead. How can you get ahead when they're taking your stuff?"

The Rev. Rich Lang, pastor of Trinity Methodist Church in Ballard, was wearing his clerical vestments when he was arrested in the rain. He said Mayor Greg Nickels "has chosen the side of the developers and people with financial interests. That's not bad, but he's forgotten the people on the lower rung."

"It's my understanding everybody was cooperative. It went fairly smoothly. This was a planned event," said Seattle police spokesman Mark Jamieson.

After the last person was arrested, officers took down the tent that was blocking traffic.

Protesters chanted, "Sweep Nickels, not the homeless," referring to a homeless sweeps policy initiated by the mayor. Sunday night, the homeless, their supporters and activists had pitched tents in front of City Hall in protest.

It was the third annual overnight protest camp-out, and organizer Timothy Harris said advocates are frustrated, calling the policy unfair and inadequate.

Alex Fryer, a spokesman for Nickels, said the sweeps policy tries to balance the needs of the homeless with protecting city parks.