Police began to remove the sprawling homeless encampment at Powderhorn Park Friday morning, but were met with resistance.
Powderhorn Park was taken over by a massive homeless encampment two months ago. While the camp existed, residents of the surrounding neighborhood feared for their safety as a child was sexually assaulted, shots rang out on multiple occasions, and violent crime reached a rate 188% above the national average. After more than 60 days, Minneapolis Park Police took action to remove the camp but were greeted by an angry mob, resulting in the deployment of tear gas, according to reports.
The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) served eviction notices on July 31 to the inhabitants of the camp at Powderhorn Park. When police arrived to clear the camp 14 days later on Friday morning, they brought skid loaders and garbage trucks with them.
Minneapolis used skid loaders and garbage trucks to clear the Powderhorn Park homeless encampment this morning after eviction notices were served 2 weeks ago. pic.twitter.com/sjmdV1IjVZ
— Kyle Hooten (@KyleHooten2) August 14, 2020
Videos showing multiple angles of the police action were posted to Twitter.
Another view of police clearing the Powderhorn Park homeless encampment:pic.twitter.com/QHZ2WCXWA6
— Kyle Hooten (@KyleHooten2) August 14, 2020
City buses also arrived to transport residents of Powderhorn Park along with their possessions to other parks, according to a reporter on the ground.
However, not long after law enforcement arrived on scene, activists sent out calls for backup to mount a resistance effort against the officers.
BODIES NEEDED AT *POWDERHORN WEST* ON CALL FOR EVICTION DEFENSE, COPS ARE ACTIVELY EVICTING POWDERHORN NOW.
BOBCAT AT POWDERHORN TO CLEAR TENTS https://t.co/aF10ZKS9g1— Lauren Josephine 🌹 (@YoLarryJohnson) August 14, 2020
People needed for eviction defense at both Powderhorn and Peavey parks today
— Parks & Power (@ParksAndPower) August 14, 2020
As individuals who oppose the eviction arrived on scene, officers were pushed from the area, according to a crime watch service that monitors police radio communications.
After officers were “encircled by about 100 people,” according to a radio communication reported by Crime Watch Minneapolis, cops at the park were ordered to return to their vehicles and vacate the area.
One of the left-wing groups that resisted police action at the park then reported that tear gas was deployed against the mob.
Tear gas deployed against eviction defense volunteers at Powderhorn park
— Parks & Power (@ParksAndPower) August 14, 2020
A reporter on the ground also claims that police used mace to disperse crowds.
The MPRB released a statement regarding the actions they took at park, Friday morning. The release cites fears for the safety of city employees as well as the threat of bio-hazardous materials collecting at the encampment as reasons for acting to clear the area.
Kyle Hooten
Kyle Hooten is Managing Editor of Alpha News. His coverage of Minneapolis has been featured on television shows like Tucker Carlson Tonight and in print media outlets like the Wall Street Journal.
