RedZero
19th November 2011, 23:16
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post_now/post/occupy-dc-protesters-claim-vacant-franklin-school/2011/11/19/gIQAXaDGcN_blog.html
About a dozen members of the Occupy D.C. movement overtook an abandoned city-owned school in downtown Saturday afternoon, dramatically unfurling a large black banner from the roof of the three-story building, and vowing to stay inside the school until it is converted for community use.
The members say they have enough food and other provisions to stay “indefinitely” but police and firefighters broke into a back door about 5:30 p.m. Protesters formed a human chain in an adjacent alley in hopes of preventing other rescue workers from entering the historic Franklin School building.
The school at 13th and K streets NW was most recently a homeless shelter, but was shuttered in 2008. Police closed streets in the vicinity.
Protestors wore bandanas over their faces as they dropped the banner from the top of the school about 3 p.m. It read “Public Property Under Community Control.” They waved to about 200 people in a park below who cheered them on.
“They are prepared to hold occupation as long as they have to,” said Ray Valentine, a spokeswoman for Occupy D.C.
A woman inside the building, who declined to give her name, said in a phone interview that the group is busy cleaning up the building so it can be used by the community.
“There is a lot of need for spaces like Franklin,” said the woman, who added that she was born and raised in the District.
Occupy D.C. has called a community meeting for 6:30 p.m. Monday at Asbury United Methodist Church to discuss potential uses for the building with the public.
The school, which opened in 1869, is on the National Register of Historic Places.
About a dozen members of the Occupy D.C. movement overtook an abandoned city-owned school in downtown Saturday afternoon, dramatically unfurling a large black banner from the roof of the three-story building, and vowing to stay inside the school until it is converted for community use.
The members say they have enough food and other provisions to stay “indefinitely” but police and firefighters broke into a back door about 5:30 p.m. Protesters formed a human chain in an adjacent alley in hopes of preventing other rescue workers from entering the historic Franklin School building.
The school at 13th and K streets NW was most recently a homeless shelter, but was shuttered in 2008. Police closed streets in the vicinity.
Protestors wore bandanas over their faces as they dropped the banner from the top of the school about 3 p.m. It read “Public Property Under Community Control.” They waved to about 200 people in a park below who cheered them on.
“They are prepared to hold occupation as long as they have to,” said Ray Valentine, a spokeswoman for Occupy D.C.
A woman inside the building, who declined to give her name, said in a phone interview that the group is busy cleaning up the building so it can be used by the community.
“There is a lot of need for spaces like Franklin,” said the woman, who added that she was born and raised in the District.
Occupy D.C. has called a community meeting for 6:30 p.m. Monday at Asbury United Methodist Church to discuss potential uses for the building with the public.
The school, which opened in 1869, is on the National Register of Historic Places.