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An effort to prevent a home eviction in Washington, DC, Tuesday turned ugly when US Marshals and local police officers armed with guns and riot shields forcefully removed members of Occupy DC who sat on the front steps of the property to prevent an eviction team from entering the home. Occupy DC activists chanted, “Homes not banks” as officers dragged apparently peaceful protesters off the property. In the video posted by activists, at least one protester appears to be injured and possibly unconscious before an ambulance eventually arrives. Activist Sam Jewler Tweeted this about the injured protester, who was apparently locked down in the blockade: “Marc is starting to wake up! Says cops pulled him by the head, then sat on his head while trying to break the pipe. Ambulance here.”
Police reported that no arrests were made, but two protesters in the video appear that they are being taken away in handcuffs, according to The Washington Post. The Occupy DC protesters were protecting the home of Dawn Butler, who lost her latest court case over the property Tuesday and was evicted. Occupy DC and Occupy Our Homes have worked with Butler to save her home for months. US Marshals supervised the removal of Butler’s belongings from the home.
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