Fresno Homeless Advocate = Terrorist Threat?

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Homeless Advocate = Terrorist Threat?

A Fresno homeless advocate has been sent a letter from Homeland Security, informing him that his attempts to help the homeless have been “brought to the attention of the Police Department's Terrorism Liaison Officers.” The unwanted attention of the Homeland Security anti-terrorism group followed a City of Fresno “clean up” of a homeless encampment on the Mariposa Mall in downtown Fresno.

Several homeless advocates monitored the “clean up” and removal of homeless people’s property on the morning of April 22, 2009 by City Sanitation Workers. “Clean ups” at the Mariposa Mall site, just west of Fresno City Hall, are conducted about once a month. City Sanitation puts up signs announcing the date of the clean up, most of the homeless people move out shortly before they arrive, and move back later in the day. It is a meaningless game of cat and mouse that is not intended to help the homeless or make their life better in any way. As a result of this constant harassment, sometimes the homeless lose their property. This happens if they are gone for a few days visiting a friend or family member when the city “cleans up” this encampment.

The signs announced the start of the “clean up” as 8 a.m., but on April 22 they started early. Bill Simon, chairperson of the local ACLU and one of the advocates who were on site that day, wrote that “Phil Connelly arrived at the cleanup site at 7:20. Georgia and I arrived about 7:40. All 3 of us had cameras. Phil said the cleanup started just after he got there. One homeless woman was there talking to Phil when I arrived and no other homeless were in sight. She was all packed up and left as I arrived.”

Connelly left the Mariposa Mall “clean up” and went to the City of Fresno Corporate Yard (2101 G street) in an attempt to see where the confiscated property was taken. ...

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A few days after his visit to the City of Fresno Corporate Yard , Phillip Connelly was contacted by Sgt. Ronald Grimm, Homeland Security Coordinator for the Fresno Police Department. Here is the letter he received:

This e-mail is in regards to your visit to the City of Fresno Corporate Yard (2101 G Street) on April 22 of this year. This facility is considered a Key Resource to the City of Fresno, and is critical to the continuity of government for our area. Inasmuch, issues regarding the security (or breeches of security) at this facility fall within the investigative responsibility of the Fresno Police Dept. Your actions during your visit to this facility (primarily the photographing of specific sites on the premises and the contact you had with City personnel) caused concern among several City employees and was brought to the attention of the Police Department's Terrorism Liaison Officers.

While we assume your visit to the premises was related to an ongoing investigation, I would like to ask for your cooperation for any future visits. If possible, could you please inform City employees at the facility as to the nature of your visit and the particular public areas you would like to visit. Also, if you could inform these same employees that you will be taking photographs in public-access areas it would probably prevent the issue from becoming a concern of the Terrorism Liaison Officer unit.

Thank you for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me directly.

Sgt. Ronald Grimm
Homeland Security Coordinator
Fresno Police Department
(559) 621-2329

Is being an advocate for homeless rights a legitimate reason for being investigated by Homeland Security and coming under the scrutiny of the Police Department's Terrorism Liaison Officers? Will Connelly and other advocates be on a Homeland Security watch list of Domestic Terrorists? Perhaps Connelly is destined to be whisked off the street, sent to Guantanamo Bay, and tortured until he confesses his nefarious actions in support of homeless people in this community?

For a list of articles and documents about the struggle for civil liberties for homeless people in Fresno, see: http://www.fresnoalliance.com/home/homelessness.htm

Full story with pics at the link

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/05/09/18593947.php