Key facts
- Atlanta city employees discarded belongings of unhoused people in Freedom Park, including tents, medication, and identification.
- The incident occurred less than a mile from a World Cup watch party venue.
- A city official claimed the action was routine park maintenance, not a sweep, and thus not subject to encampment protocols.
- City Council member Kelsea Bond criticized the city's focus on definitions over the impact on the homeless community.
- Activists reported that several downtown parks were fenced off, displacing dozens of unhoused individuals.
- Essential documents and medications were lost by those affected by the park clearing.
City employees in Atlanta recently discarded the belongings of unhoused individuals in Freedom Park, an action that has drawn criticism from activists and a city council member for allegedly violating established protocols. The incident occurred less than a mile from a venue hosting World Cup watch parties, intensifying concerns about the city's treatment of its homeless population during the event.
A city official, Chatiqua Ellison, stated that the park was not considered an encampment and the removal of items was part of 'routine park maintenance,' thus not requiring the warning procedures put in place after a man died in his tent last year when his belongings were run over by a front loader.
However, Atlanta City Council member Kelsea Bond disputed this, expressing disappointment that the city seemed more concerned with definitions than the impact on the homeless community. She argued that such clearings are disorienting and traumatizing, regardless of official definitions, and that policy impact should be prioritized over intentions on paper.
This incident raises questions about Mayor Andre Dickens' approach, who previously stated a desire to keep unsheltered individuals away from downtown during the World Cup. Activists also noted that several downtown parks frequented by the homeless have been fenced off recently, forcing residents to scatter and disrupting access to essential services like healthcare.
Allen Hall, a street outreach worker, described the situation as streets being 'flooded with homeless people' due to these practices. Sylvia Broome, director of outreach at the Remerge program, reported an increase in people seeking services after being displaced from downtown parks, many struggling to access healthcare.
Council member Bond is reportedly developing legislation to place a moratorium on clearing homeless camps and possessions while creating policies for less harmful solutions, such as storage for belongings. Play Fair ATL, an activist coalition, had lobbied for assurances that police would not harass or arrest homeless individuals during the tournament.
The city, in partnership with Partners for Home, has housed approximately 1,400 homeless individuals, but activists like Michael Collins of Play Fair ATL question the effectiveness of these efforts given the number of people still living on the streets or being displaced. Residents like Mashica King, Cassandra, and Kai reported losing essential items, including identification, laptops, tools, clothing, and even vital documents like birth certificates and social security cards, which are critical for obtaining services and housing. Lost medications also included blood pressure pills, an insulin kit, and hormones.
Atlanta police, via Maj Peter Ries, maintained that the site did not meet the definition of an encampment due to the absence of tents or homemade beds, and that the property was considered abandoned. However, residents like Kai countered that the gathering constituted an encampment simply because people congregated there.