Rochester grandmother evicted, Take Back the Land members arrested

How much sense does it make to forcibly evict a woman and her seven children from a home they already have and move them into a state-funded shelter?

Our brothers and sisters at Take Back the Land have been standing watch every day to try to prevent Catherine Lennon and her children from the house they used to own.  Today, Rochester police swept in and arrested six members and a neighbor who had the nerve to object to the eviction and to the 25 cruisers that invaded the neighborhood.  The International Alliance of Inhabitants has an eyewitness report of today's events. 

Last week at Arise a woman stopped in to pick up some flyers on the potential cuts in family shelters.  We were talking about homelessness and eventually she asked the classic question, one of the questions that helped start Arise.

"Why are there so many boarded up buildings and yet the shelters are full?"


You can ask that question tomorrow when you call your attorney general and ask her/him to negotiate the toughest settlement possible with the big banks.  Crime Doesn't Pay has a number you can call that will direct you automatically.  the site helps explaoin why every call is important.

Locally, you can support the No One Leaves  Campaign.  We're working to stop foreclosures and prevent evictions right here.  An eviction blockade may not be too far in the future.

A few more calls, if you're willing, on behalf of the Lennon family and Take Back the Night:

Make Calls to Step up Political Intervention
Voice your support for the family and your horror at the heavy-handed police tactics:

Rochester Mayoral Candidates
Mayoral candidate Alex White at 585-315- 7687
   Thank for his support
Mayoral candidate Bill Johnson at 585.465.9370
   Come out publicly to support the family and stop the eviction
Mayoral candidate Tom Richards at 585-697-0924
    Come out publicly to support the family and stop the eviction

U.S. Congress
Representative Louise Slaughter at 585-232-4850
    Pressure Fannie Mae to negotiate
Senator Chuck Schumer at 212-486-4430
    Pressure Fannie Mae to negotiate

Rochester City Council
Neighbor and Councilman Dana Miller at 585-428-6048
   Thank him for his support and tell him to keep on.

Rochester City Marshal
City Marshal Responsible or Eviction: Sande Macaluso at 585-544-4888