(longer video is one of the holdouts who was later arrested temporarily backing the cops down with constitutional arguments)

In recent months, McPherson Square had hosted a tent city set up by those evicted by Mayor Bowser’s sweeps of so many other camps. On Feb 15, US Park Police and biohazard-suited trash collectors Stormed McPherson and destroyed the tent city, evicting everyone and arresting two people who stood their ground.

This date was moved up from April 15 at the request of the usual anti-unhoused, racist and classist real estate and upscale business interests who control the Mayor and the city government. The date was moved no doubt because wealthy and middle class office workers etc were afraid to eat their lunch in McPherson Square. That would be the “imminent hazard” city officials were yakking about. A real imminent hazard now exists: many former residents of the McPherson Sq tent city lost their tents and everything they owned, and cold, heavy rain is due to arrive in DC on Thursday night.

This is also the second time a tent city in McPherson Square has been violently assaulted by police. On Feb 4, 2012 US Park Police stormed Occupy DC’s camp at the same site, sparking a tough all day battle as Occupy residents fought back.