Seattle Migrants Borrow a Page From Anti-Israel Protesters’ Playbook and Set Up Sprawling Encampment in City Park

As anti-Israel encampments ignite chaos at college campuses throughout the country, migrants at Seattle are forming an encampment of their own and demanding more funding for housing.Hundreds of migrants are camping out next to a popular children’s playground at Powell Barnett Park in Seattle’s Central District, due to what activists say is “government neglect.” “Asylum seekers are demanding resources and stable housing for all migrants and refugees,” the organizers wrote on Facebook, asking the city and county to “expedite state funding and provide shelter now.” Organizers are asking for donations to supply the encampment and requesting additional supplies, including tents, tarps, sleeping bags, toilet paper, and batteries. Organizers on Monday hosted a “Migrant Rally for Housing” — after funding ran out for 300 migrants who had been staying at a Quality Inn — and are calling on migrants to demand housing at a City Council meeting Tuesday.The encampment is developing as more than 50 college campuses across the county have had, or are currently being occupied by, encampments as a form of protest against Israel. The migrants at the Seattle encampment are protesting losing city-provided lodging. Last year, more than 600 migrants — who are largely from South America and Africa — arrived at a suburban city south of Seattle, Tukwila, and the city declared a state of emergency in October.During cold weather in January, the city provided temporary assistance for the migrants to stay at a hotel at Kent, KIRO 7 reports, but when the stay was over, they descended on City Hall. The city has since been shifting the migrants between various hotels, the outlet notes, and at one point set up an encampment outside of a community center. When reached by the Sun, a representative of King County pointed to an announcement this month from the county, awarding $2 million in funding for four nonprofits providing food, support, and legal resources to migrants in the area. “King County remains committed to interim support until the state can begin this summer to implement a state-wide and long-term approach to address the needs of asylum seekers,” the statement said. “In March, Governor Inslee signed the operating budget that includes $5 million for King County to respond to the growing influx of asylum seekers across the region. This investment will be made available this summer.” The governor’s office could not immediately be reached for comment. The encampment is overtaking the city park as the Supreme Court is weighing the extent to which city governments can take action against homeless encampments in the absence of available shelter.

Seattle Migrants Borrow a Page From Anti-Israel Protesters’ Playbook and Set Up Sprawling Encampment in City Park

Seattle Migrants Borrow a Page From Anti-Israel Protesters’ Playbook and Set Up Sprawling Encampment in City Park

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