ROCHESTER, NY (WROC) — An anti-eviction protest in the Corn Hill Neighborhood led to the arrest of a state assembly member, as well as protesters.
A group of housing advocates, community organizers, and city and state leaders were protesting against the eviction of a woman and her family when police ordered the group to leave. Those who stayed were led away in handcuffs.
Demond Meeks, assembly member for the 137th Assembly District, was among those arrested.
According the to Rochester City-Wide Tenant Union, 10 other people were arrested, including Clianda Florence-Yarde, the tenant being evicted who was led away in handcuffs.
Florence-Yarde was issued an eviction notice at her home on Glasgow, and the group had assembled to defend her, including tenant union members and city council leaders.
“She’s being evicted just a couple of days before Christmas,” said Rochester City Councilmember Mary Lupien. “She has children.”
‘This has been elevated to a point where its unbelievable,” minister Clifford Florence Sr. said. “It’s absolutely unbelievable that a judge…would sign an order to put a family on the streets during this pandemic.”
“We’re willing to put our bodies on the line when the police get here to make sure that Clianda can stay in her home,” said Barbara Rivera, organizer for the Rochester City-Wide Tenant Union.
The arrest sparked outcry from state leaders and city leaders Friday night. Senator-elect for the 55th district Samra Brouk said:
“It’s absolutely unconscionable that Assemblymember Demond Meeks was arrested, along with countless community members, while trying to protect a single mother and her children from being forced out of their home on a freezing night,” said Senator-Elect Samra Brouk. “Housing is a human right, and our leaders have a responsibility to protect our most vulnerable, even more so amid the current COVID-19 surge and freezing temperatures.”
SENATOR-ELECT SAMRA BROUK
Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren released a statement saying:
“It’s the holidays. People are suffering from under the dark shadow of the pandemic and economic crisis. The last thing the courts should be doing is putting people out in the cold. I urge the federal and state governments to provide rent relief and mortgage assistance for responsible landlords. This is an issue that I raised when I met with the State Delegation last week.” said Mayor Warren. “The City has done our part by allocating millions of dollars for emergency rent assistance and legal aid. Now, city governments are being ordered to take terrible actions in the face of the lack of political will in Washington and Albany. I urge the court to drop all charges in this case against the tenant and those demonstrating for justice.”
STATEMENT FROM MAYOR WARREN REGARDING THE INCIDENT AT 57 GLASGOW ST
Many at the protest were advocating for better protections for tenants, such as the Universal Eviction Moratorium and Good Cause Eviction Protections to help families who are evicted.
The Rochester Police Department responded in a statement late Friday night, saying:
Today, City Court Judge Michael Lopez issued an Order of Contempt and Arrest as part of an eviction process. This order directed Rochester Police Officers to address the respondent and all others preventing a lawful execution of a Warrant of Eviction being carried out in accordance with the court’s order dated October 28, 2020. When officers arrived, approximately 15 individuals made an effort to stop the police from the eviction and were subsequently arrested for Obstructing Governmental Administrations 2nd Degree.
The Rochester Police Department has no discretion in this matter or similar cases. The department must enforce any valid court order. In this particular case, RPD was originally ordered by the court to arrest and bring the tenant before the presiding judge. RPD simply fulfilled the ruling and direction of the court.
Additionally, Rochester Police Officers at the scene offered Emergency Housing options and food and shelter to help those that were evicted.