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WHOVILLE ON HILYARD STREET
The Whoville protest camp arrived at Hilyard & Broadway Ave. in the beginning of October, 2013. After being evicted by police from public space after space for over a month, the unhoused protesting for their human right to survive, decided they would not leave this time. They instead chose to again plead their case to the Eugene city government. Many received numerous tickets for violating no camping laws by not leaving but the Protest Camp stood its ground.
The weather turned frigidly cold with severe storms that brought the city’s attention to the plight of the unhoused living in Whoville’s illegal tent sanctuary. The public’s eye was watching! The city council conceded temporary permission for Whoville residents to legally shelter themselves just before Halloween. During several snow storms between December and February, many people and organizations came with donations. The site was visited by University of Oregon students, passers by, and numerous caring individuals. It was a place to help people and a place where those being helped felt like they lived in a community that cared. The following interviews with unhoused and advocates alike reflect the process of empowerment created there. The compassion and understanding inspired by the Hilyard & Broadway Protest Camp was remarkable.
While advocates for the unhoused tried to work with the city for a more permanent rest spot for Whoville’s residents, the site on Hilyard was allowed to exist. However, while details about the new site were still being negotiated, city officials decided to evict Whoville with newly posted “no trespassing” signs and warnings that the city would be coming to remove those who did not leave willingly before they arrived. A window of time was given and some Whoville residents began to depart. With no place to go, others waited to leave until they could go to the new site that the city was offering. Many had already signed contracts to live there as soon as the last details were negotiated.
On the day that advocates thought they would be signing the contract and moving the camp to the new sanctioned site, the city of Eugene came unexpectedly to evict Whoville. With armed police, countless city workers, an incident response bus, and over a half dozen motorcycle police all lined up on Franklin Boulevard, the city spent approximately $50,000.00 to remove the people still on the Whoville site April 4, 2014.
Photos by Jana Thrift
Photos by David Zupan
Photos by Gregory Walker
Photos and Videos Listed by Subject & Date:
The Whoville Community – Who Are They?
(Interviews with Residents)
Whoville Press Conference – January 23, 2014
Whoville Fenced Up – January 24, 2014