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Title: Sweeps Are Violence Author: Anonymous Language: en Topics: homelessness; community self-defense; direct action; sweeps
This text was written in Lenapehoking, land stolen from Lenape peoples &
still occupied by the government of the so-called United States. As a
settler-colonial state, the U.S. requires the constant threat of
displacement to perpetuate itself.
As we fight evictions in the streets, we do so with the knowledge that
the struggle against displacement is incomplete without justice for
Lenape and other Indigenous peoples. Rather than only an acknowledgment,
we offer a commitment to aiding & abetting Indigenous comrades in the
fight for a better world.
A sweep is an eviction of unhoused people, often targeting encampments.
Sweeps are carried out by the NYPD, the Dept. of Homeless Services
(DHS), and the Dept. of Sanitation. Thousands of people refuse to go to
the horrific shelter system. Sanitation trashes residents' belongings,
including tents, documents, medications, and keepsakes, all enforced by
NYPD. Sweeps are violent and dehumanizing; they aim to coerce people
into the violent, for-profit shelter system.
In general, community defense enables us to care for each other without
turning to the state, which doesn’t care about us. The needs of
encampment residents aren't uniform, so neither are the needs for
defenses. The most important thing is centering the wishes of your
unhoused neighbors.
New Yorkers, both housed and homeless, are facing the same predatory
housing market. The crises of skyrocketing rent, gentrification, and
homelessness are all the same fight. If you can barely afford rent, then
you have common cause with your neighbors in the shelters and streets.
As homeless neighbors are violently pushed around, the government and
real estate would prefer if people just looked the other way. Through
organizing against encampment sweeps, we build solidarity and protect
each other. Fighting sweeps is also part of the fight against evictions
and extortionate rent.
Take a photo.
Talk to the neighbors that might be targeted.
Ask about the notice. Have they seen it? Do they plan to move, or do
they want to stay?
Talk about next steps. What can you realistically offer? Follow up
however you can.
Repeat this conversation with your neighbors, housed and unhoused.
Contact local groups. Make connections that will last beyond the day of
the sweep. You can tap into networks like @SweepAlertNYC, but there is
no substitute for connecting with your neighbors.
You are your neighborhood’s best sweep defense.
If you or your neighbors are facing a sweep, you have options—but it’s
always up to the person facing the sweep to decide what to do. One
option is to move someone’s personal items beforehand. Another is to
move items during the sweep or simply refuse to allow Sanitation access.
If 5 to 15 people are ready to protect belongings or block the camp,
they can gain leverage to negotiate for more time or more acceptable
housing options for camp residents. It’s possible that the cops will
escalate—particularly if the camp is blocked—but they may also stand
down and end the sweep. Before deciding what to do, assess your risk
level, including the possibility of arrest.
These are just examples. Get creative.
The sky is the limit.
Movers: Moving residents’ personal items prior to or during the sweep.
Copwatch: Encampment defenses always need at least one copwatcher to
film the actions and words of NYPD, DHS, and Sanitation.
Protectors: This involves protecting personal items during the sweep and
possibly claiming them to prevent theft by the cops.
Blockers: Folks who refuse to move from the camp. This involves a higher
risk of arrest. The bigger the crowd, the more power you have.
Jail Support: If people are arrested, jail support is committed to
locate them and wait for their release.