The Occupy Missoula Encampment Working Group sent out a letter on Friday to address First Night Missoula and the County Commissioner’s decision to remove the port-a-potty and efforts to ban camping on the lawn. Homeless women and Occupy member Diana Wolf  explains why she is part of the movement.

 

Wolf feels they are doing nothing wrong…

The letter written on Friday December 23  is as follows..

Happy holidays to everyone from the Occupy Missoula Encampment Working Group!

 

We’re pleased to stand in solidarity with Missoula Cultural Council in regards to the upcoming First Night Event. We look forward to an evening of holiday cheer, outreach and education for our fellow citizens about local and national issues. We also encourage all artists and like-minded citizens to join us by contributing art to this First Night Event. We’re also planning a public discussion concerning the Missoula County Commissioners’ rejection of multiple invitations to join us in our meetings with the Missoula Cultural Council Wednesday the 21st.

The Occupy Missoula Encampment retains a positive outlook despite the removal by county workers of a disabled homeless veteran’s tent at 5:30am on the 21st, under the pretext that it was “abandoned property,” as well as the calculated removal of the porta-potty the same afternoon, in order to create a public health issue. The Commissioners also saw fit to request that porta-potty providers not “get involved,” and our attempts to secure another porta-potty have been unsuccessful for that reason.

We continue to remain hopeful, despite today’s (12-23-11) actions by the Sheriff, once again attempting to confiscate a disabled veteran’s tent under the premise of its being abandoned. We would like to remind the Commissioners that the tents are a form of Political Protest, protected under the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America. In the holiday spirit of goodwill and peace, we are asking the County Commissioners to let us enjoy Christmas without engaging the police, without threats of arrest before we have a public forum (sometime this week).

More From Newstalk KGVO 1290 AM & 98.3 FM