R_P_A_S
20th December 2007, 20:59
Scuffles over New Orleans housing
Police in the US city of New Orleans have used pepper spray and stun guns on protesters seeking to halt the demolition of public housing.
The protesters were trying to force their way into a city council meeting where members were expected to approve demolishing 4,500 houses.
The units were damaged by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and the US housing authority wants to replace them.
The protesters say the demolitions will drive poor blacks from the city.
The city council's approval is required so the US Department of Housing and Urban Development can proceed with its plan to demolish the buildings and replace them with new mixed-income housing.
Temporary housing
Tensions had already been high before the meeting and scuffles broke out in the council chambers as the session opened.
Critics of the plan say it will further restrict the stock of cheap housing at a time when the city is still struggling to rebuild from Katrina. They also say the brick buildings are still sound and only need to be renovated.
"It is beyond callous, and can only be seen as malicious discrimination," said Kali Akuno of the Coalition to Stop the Demolition.
"It is an unabashed attempt to eliminate the black population of New Orleans."
Supporters of the demolition plan say it will allow developers to take advantage of tax breaks and build new neighbourhoods with an allotment of low-income housing.
Thousands of families from the southern states hit by Hurricane Katrina are still living in government-funded temporary housing, including caravan parks.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/worl...cas/7154954.stm (http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/world/americas/7154954.stm)
Police in the US city of New Orleans have used pepper spray and stun guns on protesters seeking to halt the demolition of public housing.
The protesters were trying to force their way into a city council meeting where members were expected to approve demolishing 4,500 houses.
The units were damaged by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and the US housing authority wants to replace them.
The protesters say the demolitions will drive poor blacks from the city.
The city council's approval is required so the US Department of Housing and Urban Development can proceed with its plan to demolish the buildings and replace them with new mixed-income housing.
Temporary housing
Tensions had already been high before the meeting and scuffles broke out in the council chambers as the session opened.
Critics of the plan say it will further restrict the stock of cheap housing at a time when the city is still struggling to rebuild from Katrina. They also say the brick buildings are still sound and only need to be renovated.
"It is beyond callous, and can only be seen as malicious discrimination," said Kali Akuno of the Coalition to Stop the Demolition.
"It is an unabashed attempt to eliminate the black population of New Orleans."
Supporters of the demolition plan say it will allow developers to take advantage of tax breaks and build new neighbourhoods with an allotment of low-income housing.
Thousands of families from the southern states hit by Hurricane Katrina are still living in government-funded temporary housing, including caravan parks.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/worl...cas/7154954.stm (http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/world/americas/7154954.stm)