Someone died at #Occupy Salt Lake City last night. Although they have no official cause of death yet, it looks like a drug overdose of a homeless person. Homeless people die on the streets all the time in this city, especially in the winter, but I have never seen press coverage like this over a dead homeless person. The mayor has used this as an excuse to shut down the camp at Pioneer Park and the offshoot camp in the downtown financial district at sundown Saturday. No more overnight camping will be allowed anywhere in the city. The mayor was reelected Tuesday so he is no longer concerned about political damage. I have only been to the camp twice since it started but I will be there tomorrow. Looks like I might be going to jail this weekend. Sorry for the short diary but I just found out about this and the story is still developing. Will issue updates.
#Occupy Salt Lake City
Press Release
Fri, 11/11/2011 - 18:30
Salt Lake City, UT, November 11, 2011: In response to the tragic death of a man camping within Pioneer Park with the Occupy movement, Occupy SLC will be hosting a press conference to address the situation at 5:00 PM followed by a candle light vigil for the deceased this evening. The police have asked both the Pioneer Park and Gallivan Center camps to remove their tents but will facilitate other ways to express ourselves besides camping. Those choosing to stay to make a statement and stand in their belief in occupying public place will be arrested tomorrow at sunset, according to Chief Burbanke of the Salt Lake City Police Department.
Occupy SLC will be holding continuous meetings today and tomorrow to discuss our options and courses of action and will have a decision and statement prepared tomorrow for what actions the movement will take should the permanent shut down of all camps be enforced. Whatever actions are taken from here, Occupy SLC will still be present in Salt Lake City, creating a venue for people to exercise their rights to free speech and demonstrate peacefully. All demonstrators have the right to exercise this right in the manner of their choosing, and Occupy SLC will respect and support the decisions of its occupiers to remain and risk arrest or to continue to demonstrate through other avenues of expression.
STATEMENT FROM OCCUPY SLC
We at Occupy Salt Lake City are deeply saddened by the tragedy that has happened. Our neighbor who died was a volunteer in our kitchen and supported the Occupy Movement's concerns about the system. It's a tragedy that society allows so many incidents like this to happen every year.
In 2010, 54 of our fellow Salt Lake City citizens died due to issues related to homelessness. In 2009, it was 58.
We understand the city's concern about this situation. Let's be clear: we have been providing food, shelter, and health care services. To react by shutting this down will lead to more people dying alone, cold, hungry and without shelter. A productive approach from the city would be to provide more resources to solve these problems; eliminating our assembly is combative and counterproductive.
Many members of our community have already joined in our effort to make a more compassionate world.
Occupy SLC is putting a spotlight on untreated mental health issues, substance abuse, homelessness, and poverty in our community.
Mayor Becker, the nation is watching, you cannot extinguish our light. We call on all of our leaders and everyone in the community to refuse to ignore the brutal reality of poverty and homelessness and embrace moral compassion.
Join us in being a part of the solution, the global Occupy Movement. We are Occupy SLC. No matter what the city does, you cannot stop the 99% from exposing injustice in our community and demanding solutions to these problems. Thank you.