Editor's note: This article has been updated to clarify Fulton's relationship with the Tenants' Union. WHQR originally reported the Tenants' Union were the organizers of the meeting. The organization does not have a historical relationship with Fulton and have no say in the planning of the direct action. None of their official members were present at this meeting.
Earlier this month, county commissioners approved new rules for county property in response to public outcry over safety and sanitation issues at the downtown library.
The new policy effectively criminalizes sleeping on county property and makes the removal of personal belongings from the property easier. Sleeping on county property is prohibited from 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. and tents, sleeping bags, and other similar items are prohibited.
Fulton, an advocate, voiced some of his concerns.
“What we know is, if we have an ordinance like this, and people are driven out of the spaces that they can be reached, they're going to go to spaces that they're not going to be able to be found. And so it really does increase interpersonal violence, it increases safety concerns. And all of these folks… are not going to be able to get what they need. And those organizations aren't gonna be able to go find their neighbors, which is bad," he said.
Advocates plan on organizing a forum where community members can listen to professionals and advocates educate them about the homelessness issue. After the forum, and a film screening, the efforts will culminate in what Fulton calls “needed civil disobedience” in the form of a sleep-in.
The sleep-in is scheduled for April 7th, which is Good Friday. Fulton said he chose the date deliberately to encourage faith-based organizers to get involved.
“Faith-based communities have this really interesting thing where they have resources, power and they're able to leverage a lot of that, and they've got bodies," he said.
Fulton ultimately wants the community to come together to support some of the most vulnerable people in the county.
“And I want us as a community to say 'no more'. You've gotten this far, you'll go no further and we want this ordinance done," he said.
