‘Treating us like animals’: Homeless claim police are removing them from Liberty Park ahead of Pioneer Day

SALT LAKE CITY ( ABC4 ) — Ahead of Salt Lake City’s Pioneer Day festivities, there have been reports of police officers removing individuals experiencing homelessness from Liberty Park.

ABC4.com spoke with some people who said they were removed, and some said officers were patrolling the park and telling them to leave because of Salt Lake’s laws against camping. However, people often camp out in preparation for the Pioneer Day parade.

Katie is one individual who said she was removed from Liberty Park ahead of the parade.

“‘The homeless problem’ is what we’re addressed as — when we are people,” Katie said. “I think of the stigma surrounding homelessness before I was homeless, and we’re just people having a hard time.”

Officers reportedly told people to grab all their items and leave because of the laws against camping. Rex Marsh, who said he has been on the street for 10 years, said he would be treated differently if he had a home.

“Instead of treating us like animals, they want to put us in a cage. For what? Because we don’t have a home?” Marsh asked.

While some people said they were removed from the park, other people were preparing to set up camp ahead of the parade. Earlier in the afternoon, police officers were seen across the street from Liberty Park, seemingly asking more people to pack up.

“We weren’t bothering them,” one man who claimed he was removed said. “You know, we stayed to ourselves. We, you know, try not to cause any trouble.”

ABC4.com reached out to the Salt Lake City Police Department about the situation, but SLCPD said it could not respond without a specific case number.

However, SLCPD said, in part, that “Salt Lake City police enforce no camping laws, and other laws, every single day. People who violate the law may be subject to an arrest, which can include a citation or a custodial arrest and jail booking.”

Later in the night, it appeared those setting up ahead of time had left their spots. ABC4 is awaiting a follow-up from the city on this issue, and has been told they are looking into it and will follow up when they know more.

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