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At least seven people were detained Sunday evening after homeless activists, some armed with axes and knives, “forcibly” occupied the lobby and 17 rooms of the Red Lion Hotel in Olympia, Wash., Officials say .
The activists were part of a group called Oly Housing Now. They occupied the hotel in an apparent takeover attempt to demand housing in the event of a pandemic, according to reports.
City officials, in a statement, said the Olympia Police Department (OPD) had received reports that employees felt threatened by the group and that at least one employee was assaulted.
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Law enforcement and SWAT teams have closed the road nearby and are crossing the hotel floor by floor, the Olympian reported. A group of hotel workers, who fled into the basement after activists entered the hotel, were safely evacuated from the building, authorities said.
Shauna Sowersby, a reporter, tweeted that a loud bang was heard inside the hotel just before 11 p.m. local time. She said flashbangs also went off as officers attempted to clear the building.
A crowd in front of the hotel was then seen singing and harassing local law enforcement, according to videos on social media.
WARNING: GRAPHIC LANGUAGE
On Saturday evening, the group bought a hotel night and displaced 33 homeless people, according to reports. At noon on Sunday, at least 35 members of the group gathered in the lobby and outside the hotel.
OPD later estimated around 45 group members inside and outside the hotel.
Oly Housing Now released a list of requests and planned to stay indefinitely until Thurston County commits funds for permanent housing.
The group wants the county to apply for funding offered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to pay for a “non-collective” shelter, according to the newspaper.
Specifically, homeless people over the age of 65 or with pre-existing health conditions, which puts them at increased risk during the pandemic.
At around 11 a.m., officials said people inside the Red Lion called 911 to report that a group was attempting to forcefully take over the hotel.
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Employees reported that some members of the activist group inside the hotel were armed with items such as axes, batons, knives and had gas masks, helmets and goggles apparently in preparation for a confrontation, “the statement said.
The city’s Crisis Response Unit is on site and will link those not housed with “services,” officials said. Occupants will not be allowed to stay at the hotel.
“Ensuring our homeless residents have access to safe and affordable housing has been Olympia’s priority for over a decade,” said Mayor Cheryl Selby. “Olympia has led to addressing homelessness, coordinating shelter and other basic needs. The tactics used by Oly Housing Now today are unproductive and will not make the mission more achievable.
The OPD predicts that there will be more arrests associated with the occupation, according to reports.
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The investigation is ongoing.
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