We hope you’ve been following our work to protect the human rights of Sacramento’s homeless people. A UN expert wrote a letter last week warning Mayor Kevin Johnson that the city’s systematic elimination of bathrooms and clean water sources near homeless encampments may constitute “cruel, inhumane, and degrading treatment” under international law.
Here’s some footage from our partner Safe Ground Sacramento’s press conference:
Tim Buckley describes his experience as “sanitation engineer”
The media has caught on. There’s been a lot of coverage of the work we’re doing with Safe Ground Sacramento to restore human rights.
Make sure you listen to our own Eric Tars tonight on “Which Way, LA?” with Waren Olney on KCRW. The broadcast starts at 10:00 EST (7:00 PST). You can listen live here.
Here’s a break-down of some of the other coverage this past week.
Sacramento Bee:
U.N. investigator urges Sacramento to provide water, sanitation for homeless
The Sun Herald and Kansas City Star both reprinted the Bee’s story.
Sacramento Press:
United Nations Warns Kevin Johnson of possible human rights violations
Read it here.
They followed up again yesterday:
Mayor Discusses Human Rights of the Homeless
KCRA Sacramento:
They led off their broadcast with a story on the UN’s letter.
A follow-up story:
Capital Public Radio:
Insight: Sacramento’s Human Rights Violations
They followed up with a segment on Mayor Johnson’s response:
Downtown Sacramento is a homeless ghetto and the city does really nothing about! It’s unsafe, dangerous to be with a family on the bike trails, the river, anywhere! We saw 3 different people taking dumbs out in public,, downtown sac is disgusting! Why would the Kings want to stay there lol!