In a post earlier this month on Truth Social, President Donald Trump warned Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser to clean up the homeless encampments in the district, or his administration would be forced to do it for her.
At a press conference on March 6, when asked whether she had made an agreement with Trump on the matter, Bowser said she was called by a staffer after the post was made and would take care of it.
Trump’s ‘Truth’ post comes at a time when Washington, D.C. is ranked as one of the top most expensive cities in the United States, according to the Council for Community and Economic Research. Adding to the economic pressure, many federal employees have been laid off, contributing to the financial strain in the district where nearly 2 million people are employed by the federal government.
Typically, residents living at encampment sites are given at least 14 days’ notice that an Encampment Protocol Engagement will happen.
However, if an immediate health or safety concern is identified, the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services (DMHHS) can conduct an immediate disposition.
Residents living at the encampment site next to the E Street Expressway were given only one day’s notice to vacate the premises according to NBC Washington.
DHMMHS says that after encampment protocol engagement takes place, there is increased engagement from outreach teams such as the Department of Public Works and the Metropolitan Police Department to ensure the area is monitored and residents are connected to services.
Residents who are not able to fully evacuate within the 24 hours are confronted by police and city workers who pilot a truck loader to remove all remaining items, including any tents left up.
A female encampment resident was detained by the police under FD-12, a form that allows someone to be involuntarily committed to a hospital due to mental health concerns.
The resident was put into handcuffs and moved to a police vehicle after yelling at workers while packing her belongings.
A video taken from outside the encampment shows that the woman was surrounded by at least five police officers, an outreach worker, and another identified person while shouting at being handcuffed.
According to the Department of Behavioral Health, FD-12s are issued when there is reason to believe a person is mentally ill and likely to harm themselves or others unless they are immediately detained.
People deemed at risk for this could be taken into custody and transported to a local hospital for treatment without a warrant.
Including the full cleanup at E-Street, there are an additional 11 cleanups that are scheduled to be conducted in the city throughout March and early April.
Copy edited by Aniyah Genama
