New Homeless Camp Arises After Manchester Evictions Spark Criticism

A new camp appeared after people were evicted. This camp was started by a charity named RAPAR, and homeless people moved their tents. They left St Peter’s Square after being evicted, now the tents are in a different spot in the city centre.

Manchester council evicted many tents early on Wednesday. They had a court order to take back the land, located outside the town hall.

Refugees lived in the camp. They got plastic bags for their stuff when bailiffs told them to leave. Some tents went into a bin lorry, but the council said those tents were empty.

After the eviction, some tents moved to Lower Moseley Street, by the Midland Hotel. Later, about ten tents moved again to Albert Square by 3pm.

The charity RAPAR organized this small camp near William Gladstone’s statue. Omar Osman is from Eritrea, is 46 and has been in Manchester since April.

“A charity told us to leave near [outside] the hotel,” Omar said. Omar thinks all tents will end up at the statue, and criticized the council for no help. “The system is a circle,” he added.

Dr. Rhetta Moran works for RAPAR. She said refugees were evicted from St Peter’s Square that morning and RAPAR helps them stay as safe as possible. Their new spot is safer than the Midland Hotel location, and is also in clear sight of the town hall. Lawyers said the camp was near the police station and mentioned high CCTV coverage to improve safety.

A law center spokesperson spoke out, stating they will keep helping the evicted people. These people received no housing offers, and the center fears eviction simply moves people but does not fix homelessness. The Greater Manchester Tenants Union supported them, and criticized the council’s actions.

Michael Slavin spoke about funding, saying the council should ask the government for help. He said the council tries to hide homelessness, but does not actually solve the problem.

The council released a statement that the court order was completed. People left the camp at St Peter’s Square, ending the camp that lasted for months. The camp had refugees with the right to stay. The council assessed their homelessness problems and offered temporary housing to those in need. Others got advice and support, which included housing plans to find accommodation.

People could pack their tents and take them, and only abandoned tents were thrown away. The council offers help to anyone facing homelessness.

The statement said the camp was not safe and was not a good place to get support. Camping does not help their housing application nor gives them any advantage. The council had safety and cleaning issues, and the tents caused problems for events and made town hall evacuations harder. The council is happy the issue is resolved and will continue to help people facing homelessness. The order was specific to St Peter’s Square to ensure fairness. Encampments are not good anywhere in the city according to the council. They will keep talking to people in tents, and will monitor the situation.