"Sleep is a Human Right!" Homeless Protest Camps at City Hall, Packs Council

Portland Mercury:

Every protest needs an adorable tiny dog in a t-shirt.Homeless advocates got started early on their Wednesday morning protest to urge city council to waive the fines on the Right 2 Dream, Too tent city—really early. Last night at 10pm, about 70 protesters met outside city hall, setting up a free coffee stand and settling in for an "EPIC SLUMBER PARTY." The "rest area" on NW 4th and Burnside provides tents and a safe place to sleep for up about 70 people every night, but is facing $640 a month in city fines for various code violations. Spirits were high at the slumber party, despite the fact that no one seemed to be doing much slumbering and protesters were facing a cold night in sleeping bags laid over cardboard on the edge of the sidewalk outside city hall (under the camping ban, no structures are allowed to be build without a permit). "The camping ban is unjust," said 22-year-old protester Axcelle Bell, who was recently "entrenched in Occupy" and planned to sleep on the sidewalk over night. [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

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