ST. LOUIS — A homeless tent encampment in downtown St. Louis was being torn down Sunday morning, one day after a judge denied a restraining order request to stop the displacement of the people in the encampments.
A handful of tents remained in front of St. Louis City Hall Sunday morning, with a dumpster stationed nearby. Several people were still congregated in the area.
The tents had been provided to people without homes by outreach workers who wanted to give them some measure of social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic.
Advocates had hoped the encampment would be allowed to stay until the city’s stay-at-home order is lifted.
The city originally wanted the tents to be taken down Friday amid concerns that the lack of social distancing would cause the spread of COVID-19.
ArchCity Defenders filed a temporary restraining order request to stop the city from tearing the encampment down, but a U.S. district judge denied the request Saturday.
"We thank the federal court for their time and attention to this matter and are now focused on next steps,” the city said Saturday. “There continues to be safe and secure shelter with case management and other health and behavioral services for those who are willing to move into shelter."
The city posted on its website April 29 that there were enough shelter openings for the 50 or so people living in downtown encampments. Mayor Lyda Krewson said that the city has been reaching out to those living in the encampments and encouraging them to make use of the housing.
"For their health and safety, and for the health and safety of the broader community, the City will continue to have safe and secure shelter available for these individuals," the city said on its website.
However, advocates and encampment residents worried that was not the case.
"...There is a community that will be holding the City accountable for the promises that they have made," ArchCity said in a Saturday statement. The group said it would continue to monitor progress on the issue and gather evidence ahead of an injunction hearing scheduled for May 12.
