A feud over camping rights is brewing between St. George police and the city's homeless - and both sides say they're not about to budge.
During the past two weeks, police teams have conducted several raids on hobo camps after a 33-year-old woman was assaulted by a knife-wielding man outside a downtown grocery store. A man was arrested and jailed moments after the incident. But the attack prompted St. George officials to cleanup the city's homeless dwellings, police say.Police have entered camps, rounded up unclaimed belongings and demanded that squatters leave town unless they find appropriate housing.
During the operation, two other homeless men were arrested on outstanding warrants, and a third for concealing a .25-caliber pistol.
Police say they're taking necessary steps to curb illegal camping and transient-related crime. The homeless are calling foul.
"My campmates and I are being harassed and our civil rights have been violated for no other reason than not having money or a roof over our heads," said James Lunning, whose makeshift shelter was searched for a second time Thursday. "We're all being blamed for the actions of one person. Anyone in this city who's not lucky enough to live in a home is labeled a thief, a rapist or a dangerous person."
Lunning said most of St. George's displaced people are employed or receive monthly disability checks, mind their own business and camp only on remote private lands with owner permission.
Police tell a different story, saying city residents and business owners have complained of homeless men committing burglaries, panhandling and intimidating customers.
`We're not dealing with women, children and families who are temporarily down on their luck - we're dealing with a group of grown men camping illegally, and some are committing crimes," said St. George Police Chief John Pollei.
Despite the city's demands to move along, Lunning said he and many other homeless folks won't be leaving.