By WPRO News
A judge blocked plans by the McKee administration to evict homeless campers from around the State House on Friday, as dozens of people rallied in support of the campers.
Superior Court Judge David Cruise issued a temporary restraining order blocking any evictions pending a hearing scheduled for next Wednesday, barring any further tents from being set up on State House grounds.
Lawyers for the state opposed the request for an injunction against the encampment, saying the administration has the right to regulate the time, place and manner of any type of First Amendment speech issue.
“This situation right now has become a dangerous situation,” said attorney Bart Totten. “There are camps blocking both entrances on the sidewalks to the State House, there is garbage, there are no bathroom facilities, there have been observed hypodermic needles, there are lots of problems there. And it’s become a safety issue. The state’s policies and procedures prohibit camping overnight at the State House. They do not allow that for anybody. It’s content-neutral.”
“The state is very aware and sympathetic to the needs of the folks at these encampments, which is why when they issued this notice to the folks that they were going to need to leave, they noted that these people were going to be provided with a bed in an emergency shelter and transportation to this emergency shelter. So the state is working to do that, is inclined to do that,” Totten said.
Outside the court, the attorney for the “John Doe” plaintiffs, Richard “Rick” Corley said he was satisfied that the restraining order would give the two sides time to try to reach a solution.
“It will give us time to speak with the state to try to see what the alternatives are, to find appropriate housing, not simply a bed,” Corley said.
“I’m going to try to reach out to the head of housing to see how we can resolve this and what funds are available to do that and speak to my clients concerning what it is that they actually are trying to do,” he said.
Robert Oliveria, who described himself as an advocate for the homeless who is in long-term recovery said many of the people involved are in need of services for addiction and mental illness.
“You can give somebody the basics, but unless you treat the addiction and the mental illness the cycle is just going to continue. And this administration doesn’t seem to be honest about that,” Oliveira said.
He said the initial administration plan to move homeless campers to the church-run Emmanuel House in Providence was inadequate for many in the group, especially couples and families.
A spokesman for Gov. Dan McKee, Matt Sheaff, issued a statement Friday:
“Our number one priority from the beginning has been to help the those camping at the State House get into a warm shelter and off the streets. Over the past several days, we have been able to provide safe shelter for many of these individuals and couples. Based on significant outreach done at various times during the day over the last 48 hours, we estimate that of the approximately 17 adults outside the State House as of Wednesday morning, less than 10 remain. We will continue to work to connect them with safe shelter.”
