Petition to Stop Harassment of Landless People in Berkeley

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The Berkeley Peace and Justice Commission will be meeting at the North Berkeley Senior Center, 1901 Hearst Avenue, Berkeley, CA, Workshop B on January 8, 2018 at 7 pm. On the agenda they have included a discussion with public comment regarding the Meiklejohn Civil Liberties Institute’s call that the Berkeley Peace and Justice Commission take action to stop the harassment of landless people by the City of Berkeley and that sanctioned encampments be allowed so that landless people can be treated with dignity.

We ask everyone to join the Meiklejohn Civil Liberties Institute at the Berkeley Peace and Justice Commission meeting on January 8, 2018 to support the open letter by Ann Fagan Ginger below and to demand that the City of Berkeley fulfill the principles upon which the Berkeley Peace and Justice Commission was founded which is the respect of human rights for all people.

Make your voice heard before that meeting. Sign the email petition below now!

I support the call by the Meiklejohn Civil Liberties Institute that the Berkeley Peace and Justice Commission take immediate action to end the abuse of landless people by the City of Berkeley as set forth in the open letter by Ann Fagan Ginger below.

Petition to Stop Harassment of Landless People in Berkeley
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Greetings Berkeley Peace and Justice Commission,
I support the call by the Meiklejohn Civil Liberties Institute that the Berkeley Peace and Justice Commission take immediate action to end the abuse of landless people by the City of Berkeley as set forth in the open letter by Ann Fagan Ginger below. Open Letter to The Berkeley Peace and Justice Commission Demanding Immediate Action to End the City of Berkeley’s Abuse of the Homeless The Meiklejohn Civil Liberties Institute calls upon the Berkeley Peace and Justice Commission to take immediate action to end the abuse of landless people by the City of Berkeley. The landless movement called First They Came for the Homeless (FTCftH) has been removed over a dozen times from locations throughout Berkeley since 2015 under threats of arrest. These evictions further traumatized these landless people who had set up encampments as the only means available to create a semblance of shelter from the elements. The threats of violence, incarceration, and destruction of their possessions by law enforcement as they had been repeatedly expelled into the streets increased deprivation of basic necessities and thus compounded the trauma of their homelessness. This ongoing oppression by the City of Berkeley is not isolated to FTCftH but represents a historic and ongoing policy of human rights violations targeting landless people throughout Berkeley in violation of many human rights laws including the Eighth Amendment prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment, the Fourth Amendment right to privacy and due process of law, the Fourteenth Amendment right to equal protection under the law, and Article 11 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, which recognizes “the right of everyone to an adequate standard of living for himself and his family, including adequate food, clothing and housing, and to the continuous improvement of living conditions.” The Peace and Justice Commission was founded with the principles that wealth spent on war could be used to house the homeless and that the City of Berkeley “must have wise counsel” to further peace and justice. (BMC 3.68.010, paragraphs C and M) In keeping with these principles the wealth used for forced eviction of homeless encampments and destruction of the property of landless people could be used to address the needs of these residents. The Peace and Justice Commission has the power to request a special meeting. (BMC 3.68.060) Further, the Peace and Justice Commission acts as an advisor to the City Council. (BMC 3.68.070) In Sullivan et al. v. City of Berkeley and BART (Northern District Court of California, case number C 17-06051 WHA) FTCftH asks that the city establish “sanctioned encampments” so that landless people can have a semblance of dignity. The Meiklejohn Civil Liberties Institute asks the Berkeley Peace and Justice Commission to request a special meeting to discuss the treatment of the homeless by the City of Berkeley and to provide the City Council with “wise counsel” to agree to establish sanctioned encampments for landless people and seek resolution of the dispute between the City of Berkeley and FTCftH. Sincerely, Ann Fagan Ginger Executive Director Emeritus E-mail: mcli1965@gmail.com
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Open Letter to The Berkeley Peace and Justice Commission Demanding Immediate Action to End the City of Berkeley’s Abuse of the Homeless

The Meiklejohn Civil Liberties Institute calls upon the Berkeley Peace and Justice Commission to take immediate action to end the abuse of landless people by the City of Berkeley. The landless movement called First They Came for the Homeless (FTCftH) has been removed over a dozen times from locations throughout Berkeley since 2015 under threats of arrest. These evictions further traumatized these landless people who had set up encampments as the only means available to create a semblance of shelter from the elements. The threats of violence, incarceration, and destruction of their possessions by law enforcement as they had been repeatedly expelled into the streets increased deprivation of basic necessities and thus compounded the trauma of their homelessness.

This ongoing oppression by the City of Berkeley is not isolated to FTCftH but represents a historic and ongoing policy of human rights violations targeting landless people throughout Berkeley in violation of many human rights laws including the Eighth Amendment prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment, the Fourth Amendment right to privacy and due process of law, the Fourteenth Amendment right to equal protection under the law, and Article 11 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, which recognizes “the right of everyone to an adequate standard of living for himself and his family, including adequate food, clothing and housing, and to the continuous improvement of living conditions.”

The Peace and Justice Commission was founded with the principles that wealth spent on war could be used to house the homeless and that the City of Berkeley “must have wise counsel” to further peace and justice. (BMC 3.68.010, paragraphs C and M) In keeping with these principles the wealth used for forced eviction of homeless encampments and destruction of the property of landless people could be used to address the needs of these residents. The Peace and Justice Commission has the power to request a special meeting. (BMC 3.68.060) Further, the Peace and Justice Commission acts as an advisor to the City Council. (BMC 3.68.070)

In Sullivan et al. v. City of Berkeley and BART (Northern District Court of California, case number C 17-06051 WHA) FTCftH asks that the city establish “sanctioned encampments” so that landless people can have a semblance of dignity.

The Meiklejohn Civil Liberties Institute asks the Berkeley Peace and Justice Commission to request a special meeting to discuss the treatment of the homeless by the City of Berkeley and to provide the City Council with “wise counsel” to agree to establish sanctioned encampments for landless people and seek resolution of the dispute between the City of Berkeley and FTCftH.

Sincerely,

Ann Fagan Ginger
Executive Director Emeritus
E-mail: mcli1965@gmail.com