Jess Falero, One of the Organizers, of the Homeless Protesters at City Hall Plaza Today.
This Homeless Man was Sweeping up in the Street in front of Ganley Plaza. He Formerly Served in the US Navy as a Med Tech.
Michael Kenney, Suffers from Serious Mental Illness, But he Has Been Able to Get The Medication he Needs During the Protest. “I Don’t Know Where I Will Go Now.”
One Mentally Ill Camper Struggles to Move His Belongings from Ganley Plaza to Lincoln Park This Afternoon Before a Perceived But Fictious Deadline Rumored to Arrest for Criminal Trespass Those Remaining at the Site. How the Rumor Started is Unknown, But it Added to the Already Stressful Situation by Protesters.
Just before 6:00 pm., Jess Falero, one of the organizers of the homeless protest at city hall plaza announced to the dwindling community another change of plans for the eviction of the mostly mentally ill campers – like the Maine weather – just wait a few minutes because the message from city hall will change – again.
The latest message that mhn.com heard, was that the Portland Police Department would not show up late this afternoon to clear out the homeless campers, campers can’t stay overnight at the Ganley Plaza, must leave by 10:00 pm tonight and the mostly mentally ill must clean up city hall plaza by noon tomorrow Saturday. Many of the mentally ill protesters had already left Ganley Plaza – a few headed for nearby Lincoln Park and others heading to Deering Oaks Park.
Previously, around 5:15 Lt. Robert Doherty, of the Portland Police Department appeared at Ganley Plaza surrounded by a contingent of police officers. Doherty said that police officers would return in about twenty minutes. “We are asking everyone to leave. We expect 100% compliance,” Doherty said with his enforcers around him. To protect him from the weaponless mentally ill? And if they don’t leave, will the mentally ill be arrested? “I didn’t say that. “Don’t misquote me,” he warned mhn.com.
Prior to the appearance of Doherty and his enforcers, Falero said that the communications from city hall have been chaotic. One minute she hears one thing and the next there is another message from city hall officials. “It’s chaos,” she said. Falero said she was unaware of any deadline to leave Ganley Plaza until Doherty arrived with his enforcers saying the Police would return in twenty or so minutes to see that mentally ill protesters had left.
One of the organizers has recently been hospitalized – possibly for exhaustion.
Some of the mentally ill homeless were trying to move their possession to the nearby Lincoln Park. However, a city ordinance does not permit structures (including tents) to be erected in the Park. That was enacted following the Occupy Maine protest in which it became a village of tents. No one is allowed to be in the Park after 10:00 pm as well. Where are the homeless mentally ill to go? Police Department Chief Frank Clark made a rare appearance at Ganley Plaza in the early afternoon. When asked numerous questions by a reporter from the “Republican Press Herald” as well as mhn.com, Clark said: “I don’t have an answer. But we will enforce the no structure ordinance at Lincoln Park tonight.” When asked by the “Republican Press Herald” reporter if he thought this was an extraordinary situation, Clark responded: “I make no observations.” He also said there had been no discussion in the city about first amendment rights of the mentally ill protesters. Clark was promoted to this position less than a year ago, from his junior position in South Portland by city manager Jon Jennings. Mhn.com makes no observations.
Conversations dominating Ganley Plaza focused on the lack of empathy from city officials, including Mayor Kate Snyder and city manager Jon Jennings specifically, with a population of the homeless suffering from mental illness with inadequate resources. A fact that the “Republican Press Herald” the city’s mouthpiece, has ignored as well as city hall.