With a shameful backlog of cases awaiting trial–resulting in folks waiting years, in jail, for resolution to their charges–and despite claims of insufficient resources, the Buncombe County District Attorney’s office is still taking four local mutual aid organizers all the way to trial on “felony littering” charges. Trial is scheduled to begin April 10. The remainder of the defendants who still have active cases are “off the calendar” but charges are not dropped.
As we head towards trial, we also have seen the disturbing emergence of a ramped-up anti-homeless and anti-poor campaign, along with calls for increased funding for law enforcement. Asheville Watchdog, an investigative news outlet, released two unfortunate pieces last week with shamefully biased coverage stigmatizing homeless people. Local conservative neighborhood organizers appeared on Fox News calling for more police to fight the “violent crime spike” caused by the “liberal government,” though APD’s own data show no such spike.
Worst of all, City Council unanimously voted last week to authorize $500,000 in federal funds towards contracts for more encampment clearing, on the heels of paying $70,000 for consultants from the National Coalition to End Homelessness to tell them to craft a new encampment policy, because the current one is broken. Follow the money to determine if City Council has listened.
Let’s push back and tell these bullies to stop scapegoating the most vulnerable in our community! Research shows that cops are not the solution to the housing crisis, homelessness, inadequate social services, and tourism-driven gentrification. While they are at it, drop the charges and the park bans on Aston Park defendants! Legalize sanctuary camping!
Call the DA’s office at 828-259-3410 and say you want to leave a message for Todd Williams: You say y’all don’t have resources to bring even murder cases to trial, leaving folks without resolution for years, but you are using your resources right now to punish protest with felony littering charges. You can drop the charges on the Aston Park defendants! Stop prosecuting homeless people and advocates! Stop criminalizing community care!
Call the mayor and email city council and tell them to direct resources towards care for our community and not camp sweeps! Drop the park bans on the Aston Park defendants!
Esther Manheimer – 828-259-5604
City Council – ashevillenccouncil@ashevillenc.org
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