Homeless activists attempted to “forcibly take over” a hotel Sunday in Washington before 12 were arrested by Olympia police, KING5 reported.
The activists, who claimed to be part of the group called Oly Housing Now, raided the Red Lion Hotel around 11 a.m. local time Sunday, according to KING5. The group of activists, which was around 45 individuals in total, were “armed with items such as hatchets, batons, knives and had gasmasks, helmets and goggles apparently in preparation for a confrontation,” a press release from the city said.
Activists were demanding that the city provide housing for homeless individuals for the duration of the coronavirus pandemic, KING5 reported.
BREAKING: @OlyHousingNow Takes Motel for Emergency Pandemic Housing
Group Calls on Thurston County to Pay for the Rooms with FEMA Funding That Covers Non-Congregate Shelter at 100% pic.twitter.com/btGQ9rgOqX
— Rebecca Parson (@RebeccaforWA) January 31, 2021
Around 40 rooms were booked by bystanders at the time of the activist takeover, KING5 reported. “Before the occupation, the activist group had earlier reserved 17 rooms, which were occupied by currently unhoused individuals as the occupation occurred,” the city of Olympia said in its statement.
Once inside, the activists took control of the first two floors of the hotel and covered windows in dark tarps, Fox News reported. One of the hotel’s staff members was assaulted by an activist, and other employees sought safety in the hotel’s basement, Fox News’ report added. Meanwhile, bystanders staying in the hotel took shelter in their rooms, KING5 reported.
Olympia Police, accompanied by Thurston County Sheriff’s Office and Washington State Patrol’s SWAT team breached the hotel and started arresting activists at around 6:30 p.m. SWAT performed a room-to-room search of the hotel, and law enforcement personnel helped hotel staff and guests evacuate the premises, according to KING5. (RELATED: Rioters Vandalize Original Starbucks Storefront In Seattle)
The homeless individuals put up in the hotel by the activists will not be allowed to remain in the hotel, the city said, but Olympia’s Crisis Response Unit connected the homeless individuals to various services available for use, KING5 reported.
They are now chanting to Olympia cops to “choke and die.” pic.twitter.com/EnMh9esHbu
— (((Jason Rantz))) on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz) February 1, 2021
“Making sure our unhoused residents have access to safe and affordable housing has been Olympia’s priority for more than a decade,” said Democratic Olympia Mayor Cheryl Selby in the Sunday statement. “Olympia has led on responding to homelessness, on coordinating shelter and other basic needs. The tactics used today by Oly Housing Now are unproductive and won’t make the mission more attainable,” she added.
