Photos: Seattle sweeps encampment at Cal Anderson Park

Shortly before sunrise Friday, the city of Seattle cleared Cal Anderson Park where a houseless encampment has grown in recent months.

Police at the scene were met with protesters.

It was a tense morning at Cal Anderson Park. Unlike an unsuccessful sweep earlier this week, city crews moved through Cal Anderson Park and tents and debris were cleared from the area.

Police broke through a barricade that was erected along the camp to gain access to the park. A few small skirmishes broke out. According to the Seattle Police Department, 21 people were arrested. Protesters present at the time helped residents move their belongings and tents.

Police served an initial warning that the park would be cleared at the start of the week. They repeated that order Friday morning, stating that the park was officially closed for maintenance. People were ordered to leave the park or be arrested.

Residents of the camp were given 15 minutes to gather their belongings. Police informed them that the city will provide storage and help finding housing. People who need such help finding housing can call 211.

Anthony Pfeffer, who has lived at the encampment since March, woke up in a panic when police arrived. He got some of his stuff together, but had to leave his tent. “It’s so shitty,” he says, “I just feel so shitty.”

Pfeffer was hesitant of shelters because of Covid-19. He and a few friends walked away in the rain, unsure of where they’d go.

City plans to clear the park on Wednesday were halted after a person living in the camp filed a restraining order to stop the sweep. On Thursday, however, a judge denied that request.

In response, a group of protesters took over a nearby house and vowed to stay put until the city addresses their demands over how the unhoused are treated in the city.

Those protesters were also present at Friday morning's sweep.

By 10:14 a.m. police began dispersing the crowd with rubber bullets and made additional arrests.

Cal Anderson Park encampment

The sweep of the camp at Cal Anderson Park comes amid the worst of the ongoing pandemic, with cases of Covid-19 and hospitalizations at their highest levels since the virus first arrived locally. While acknowledging that encampments are not a healthy setting, the CDC has recommended that cities not sweep encampments if there is no place for residents to go. It has also advised that many shelter settings, with communal setups and close quarters are not safe during this time.

The CDC has offered guidelines for this issue.

Earlier this year, residents of the camp at Cal Anderson Park spoke with Converge Media and pleaded with the city for help. Some said they had been attempting to contact city officials, but the only people they heard from were police officers.

Converge Media livestreamed the event Friday morning. That video can be viewed here.