Archive for the ‘homeless’ tag
Interesting ruling in NYC for LGBT and Homeless Rights
I got this email from Yetta Kurland a lawyer, activist and former NYC council candidate on a ruling that would impact LGBT and homeless rights in New York CIty.
The case revolves around Alan Bounville a NYU student and activist who had been charged with violating the law while protesting in front of an elected official’s office.
On October 15, 2010, Mr. Bounville was arrested and charged with obstructing the sidewalk under a section of the New York City Administrative Code, AC 16-122(b). This law is meant to prevent the storage of vehicles and other immovable personal property and garbage on public sidewalks. Bounville had been sleeping in sleeping bags placed atop cardboard boxes in the Chelsea neighborhood as part of a demonstration advocating for LGBT rights.
They say this law is often used to jail homeless people. The odd thing is the law refers to trash removal from sidewalks which when you think about it shouldn’t even be applicable to Mr. Bounville.
Here’s a good quote from one of the attorneys on this:
Mr. Quackenbush explained his reasons for taking the case. “There is no reason Mr. Bounville or any homeless person should be charged under a law aimed at keeping trash off the sidewalk. People sleeping on sidewalks are not breaking the law, are not trash, and should not be treated like it.”
Here in DC with homeless shelters being closed over the past few years, homeless people are most likely sleeping on the streets more. In New York City I’m sure similar conditions like cuts to services is triggering the same effect. Not that it’s a good thing that homeless people are living on the streets but arresting them for doing so is not the answer.
In the end this ruling is also good news for far more than just LGBT rights it’s also good news for anyone wanting to protest and exercise their First Amendment rights.
Invisible Person Viper: Story of the homeless
Viper from invisible people on Vimeo.
Everytime the Invisible People video blog puts up a new post I try and blog about it. I would like to see them getting a lot of traffic. They must not remain invisible any longer.
