Olympia police appear to be arresting the exit / entry of the Red Lion’s funds. (KTTH, Jason Rantz via Twitter)
Seven people were arrested on Sunday when police raided the Red Lion Hotel in downtown Olympia, filled with people who tried to search for pandemic housing in an apparent acquisition.
Homeless activists with a group called Oly Housing Now occupied the hotel after supporters booked 17 rooms and demanded on Sunday that Thurston County continue to pay for the room with funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
According to The Olympian, the group paid for one night in the rooms and moved 33 homeless people and had plans to stay indefinitely.
“We are ready to stay strong. We want no harm. In fact, we want this hotel to have business, “said Emma Veite of Oly Housing Now.” Then they are going to get the funds from FEMA. And the rooms will be occupied by people who need them. So it’s a win-win situation. The funds are there; the county just has to apply. “
At around 11 am on Sunday, police said they started receiving calls from hotel staff who said that a “crowd of people wearing black” with batons and knives entered the lobby and demanded that they open their rooms.
An employee was beaten while trying to prevent part of the crowd from entering the lobby, while about seven to eight other employees were hiding in a basement room, police said.
After the authorities obtained a search warrant, the police, along with several other agencies, entered the hotel to release the arrested employees who remained at the hotel for more than six hours.
After police began sweeping the hotel rooms of the group of homeless activists, Red Lion officials issued a statement and said employees reported that some members of the group were armed with axes, batons, knives and had masks on. gas, helmets and goggles; the group also seemed to be preparing for a confrontation.
Oly Housing Now sent a statement and declared the demands below:
- The Thurston County Department of Health must apply for FEMA funding and use it for COVID-19 prevention sites and non-congregated shelters for people aged 65 and over or who have pre-existing health problems.
- The city of Olympia must stop the scans and provide the camps with resources to meet the hygiene recommendations of the COVID-19 Center for Disease Control and Prevention, including overflow sites, isolation sites, protective housing, sanitation services, toiletries and toilets 24 hours.
- The city of Olympia must use a public emergency room / public safety emergency accommodation in the form of hotel vouchers to support the homeless community in Olympia.
- The city of Olympia is expected to increase rates of impact on luxury and commercial properties in central Olympia.
- Thurston County and the city of Olympia should encourage housing for people who meet the extremely low income limit ($ 26,200 for a family of four).
Seven people were arrested for various crimes. Authorities said they hope to make more arrests.