Protest For Homeless Rights in Ashland

Protestors claim homelessness is being criminalized.

The Ashland Police Chief says people are only being cited for certain violations not jailed.

Ashland where a demonstration was staged to challenge the city and address its homeless population.

Tyler...; brian-- tonight protestors have gathered in ashland to demand transitional housing accommodations for the homeless here in ashland.

Protestors are calling the targeting, harassing, and citing of homeless people unconstitutio nal.

In the last two newscasts, two in the last in the last two newscasts, newswatch 12 shared some of the demands by protestors.

They want the city to enact a luxury tax on homes -- more than 25-hundred square feet -- to fund homeless services.

They also say they want the removal of two ashland law enforcement officers to fund homeless services.

Ashland police chief tighe o'meara says it would be better for funds to be taken from other community resources.

I'm not opposed to more resources being made available for social services but the fact is the ashland police department is understaffed already.

In addition protestors want the city protestors in addition in addition protestors want the city to provide emergency shelter accommodations when temperatures drop below 40 degrees.

The senior director for o-h-r-a says it works with local police to manage a safe community for everyone.

Protestors claim being cited for a violation while camping in below freezing tempatures is cruel.

Supporters of the protest standing in allianace with their homeless friends say the ashland police department is only doing it's job but they should work toward creating more shelters in the community because everyone has the right to a home.

Protestors hope to see new accommodations for the unhoused community in the days following tonight's protest.

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