UPDATE JAN. 21: 13 Action News has obtained the mug shots of the 12 people arrested during the Occupy Fremont protests on Jan. 20.
11 P.M. JAN. 20 UPDATE: Organizers behind a protest aimed at two new ordinances to address homelessness in downtown Las Vegas say 12 people were arrested and at least one person was hurt Monday evening.
13 Investigates was there as dozens of protesters gathered at Las Vegas City Hall.
"Homelessness is a very serious problem but the bigger problem is that our government is not taking our opinion into account," said Katie Krikorian, who runs the Facebook page "Revolutionary Acts of Kindness"
"The street cleaning ordinance, the most frustrating part, if the department of sanitation said they have no issues cleaning the streets, this is a completely unnecessary bill and it's just the second step in clearing the homeless away where we can't see them," added Krikorian.
Krikorian was one of the people who was taken into custody after several protesters refused to obey law enforcement and laid down on Casino Center Boulevard and Fremont Street.
Protesters were upset by two recent ordinances passed by City of Las Vegas leaders.
The first measure was passed in November 2019, which made camping on city sidewalks illegal if beds are available at homeless shelters.That ordinance went into effect on Sunday.
The second ordinance was passed on Wednesday, making sitting or camping on city sidewalks illegal during designated cleaning times.
"It deserves our outrage and we plan to resist and fight every step of the way until they decide to end the homeless ordinance," said Jonas Rand, and organizer and volunteer with Water and Solidarity
Supporters of the measure say public safety and sanitation are the mean reasons the new laws are needed.
According to Water and Solidarity, there is another mass camping protest set for Feb. 2.
5 P.M. JAN. 20 UPDATE: The Occupy Fremont protest is happening now in downtown Las Vegas. The protest has closed traffic on Casino Center between Carson Avenue and Ogden. The march started at Las Vegas City Hall.
Protesters say they chose Martin Luther King Jr. Day for their protest because they feel the rights of homeless people are being trampled on.
Several homeless advocates believe two recent laws are blatantly anti-homeless. The protesters say they will be committing acts of civil disobedience to show their displeasure of the new laws.
We are following the group. There’s also smoke visible in downtown Las Vegas. We can hear sirens. It doesn’t appear related to the protests. @KTNV pic.twitter.com/1wLnSHeG4Z
— Joe Bartels (@Joe_Bartels) January 21, 2020
ORIGINAL STORY
LAS VEGAS (KTNV) -- Several homeless advocacy groups plan to shut down Fremont Street on Martin Luther King Jr. Day in response to two controversial camping ban laws passed by Las Vegas City Council.
Representatives of the Justice for the Poor Coalition, hosts of the protest, said people would gather at Las Vegas City Hall at 4 p.m. on Monday with tents and sleeping bags for a rally, and then march to Fremont Street for a demonstration.
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In a release, Joseph Lankowski with Food Not Bombs Las Vegas said they couldn't reveal the route of their march as some protesters "will be engaging in acts of civil disobedience."
The groups have protested since November when council members passed an ordinance banning sitting, sleeping, or camping in most public areas within city limits if beds are available at area homeless shelters.
Protests were renewed when council passed an ordinance allowing city administrators to create a sidewalk cleaning program, and banning sitting, sleeping, or camping on public sidewalks during posted cleaning times.
Mayor Carolyn Goodman said the new laws are designed to help connect the city's homeless population to resources they may desperately need while addressing sanitation and safety issues associated with homeless encampments.
