It has come to the attention of Occupy Eugene that Councilor George Poling and others are upset about recent actions at Councilor Poling’s home that are perceived to be a part of Occupy Eugene.

The actions at George Poling’s residence were made up of participants of Occupy Eugene who acted on their own free will as part of an affinity group affiliated with the Occupy Eugene Actions committee.

Occupy Eugene does not require consensus from the General Assembly for independent actions, and our members are empowered to act independently as long as their goals and methods align with Occupy Eugene’s principles. Last night’s action was a symbolic expression of protest on the part of the women involved.

“We were individuals engaged in an independent action with open minds and a shared purpose. This action was not discussed with nor consensed upon by Occupy Eugene,” said one participant in last night’s protest action.

Individual participants of Occupy Eugene may either agree or disagree with the content or message of the demonstrations that have occurred at George Poling’s residence. Demonstrating at the residence of a public official is a longstanding tradition in this country and such demonstrations are a time-honored and essential exercise of our constitutional rights.

As a community, we are actively and currently engaged in robust discussion regarding the issues presented before us after these actions. We hope this Occupy Eugene Action can further the discussion centered on the issues of homelessness, community building, and freedom to protest.

This press release is from the Communications Committee of Occupy Eugene that has been empowered to speak on behalf of the larger Occupy Eugene body.

For 75 days, in one of the longest running occupations in the US, Occupy Eugene provided a legal place to sleep, three meals daily, professional medical assistance, job skills trainings, and most importantly, a community for hundreds of homeless folks in Eugene. Simultaneously, we have explored with the city how Eugene might better serve homeless people.

This week, the city of Eugene unilaterally shut down the site at Washington Jefferson Park, and after two nights of the Wheeler Pavilion being open to provide beds for those coming from the Occupation, folks are back on the street again, just in time for Christmas.

Occupy Eugene appreciates that the city has put forth additional funds, created a task force with seats for homeless people, and expanded the car camping program by adding sites and allowing tents. However, these efforts do not add up to the far greater support that was available at the Occupy Eugene site, and none of the city’s efforts are happening on a community basis among equals, which was more respectful than a government handout.

The alarming number of people who are homeless is a consequence of our deeply unjust economic and political systems, systems which Occupy Eugene is dedicated to changing. In the meantime, we are proud to have taken on the task of helping some of the people most affected – entirely with volunteered time, and as a community.

Occupy Eugene remains strong, renting an office in the Grower’s Market Building and making use of a donated warehouse on 7th and Polk. Plans to participate in the national Occupy the Courts protest are underway, and the unfair foreclosure of many Eugene homes presents another opportunity for Occupy Eugene to support people impacted by unjust systems.

We invite the community to join in our efforts to address systemic injustice while we continue to occupy the minds of Eugene.

This Press Release was approved by the general assembly of Occupy Eugene.