Brisbane City Councils removal of rough sleepers from Musgrave Park has raised questions about the public safety claims used to justify the operation, writesMason Garland.

ON THURSDAY 19 February, Brisbane City Council (BCC) workers and Queensland police officersraided Musgrave Park, removing all tents and rough sleeper residents.

This operation reportedly began at 6 AM while most, if not all, rough sleepers were asleep in their tents.

Upon request for comment regarding the Councils actions, LNP CouncillorSarah Huttons office gave this media statement:

While this media statement didnt answer the questions requested for Councillor Hutton to answer, it does show the BCCs continued effort in masquerading its harsh crackdown approach as responsible and necessary for public safety.

Attached to this media release were a few images: 1) needles; 2) a machete; and 3) a burning tent.

(Images via BCC media release)

The first two images were clearly taken by Council or Queensland Police Service (QPS) officers during their operation, while the third was either a witness or first responder to a separate incident.

Whats important to recognise is that in the first image displaying approximately 190 needles, there are at least five sharps bins on the left side of the image.

These sharps bins are kept securely in the public toilets at Musgrave Park as a means of safe disposal of needles.

So far, QPS has not answered questions when requested to comment on the operation and whether the needles in this image were mostly found in the sharps bins or not, as well as who initially requested the joint operation to take place.

QPS Media and Public Affairs OfficerCaleb Mohan, however, did state that a 44-year-old man was charged with one count each of resisting public officers and possessing dangerous drugs (methylamphetamine).

No other arrests or move-on orders were used during the operation, according to Officer Mohan.

During the following BCC meeting time on Tuesday, Greens Councillor for Gabba WardTrina Masseybrought into question MayorAdrian Schrinners comments regarding the charged rough sleeper, who was allegedly known to be on NDIS and using prescribed medication, which was the alleged methylamphetamine that had been confiscated by QPS officers.

This video wasoriginally postedon Councillor Trina Masseys Instagram:

Community Union Defence League, which supports rough sleepers in Musgrave Parkreleased a statementdenouncing the operation:

Notably, journalists fromThe Courier Mailwere present during the operation,uploading a videoshowing Council workers using Bobcats to crush and clear all tents and personal belongings of rough sleepers in the park.

Department of Housing officers were reportedly present with BCC and QPS officers, as mentioned in both The Courier Mails coverage and the media release from Councillor Sarah Huttons Office.

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Upon reachingout to the Department of Housing and Public Works with a range of questions pertaining to the operation and the fate of the rough sleepers, this response was given:

The BCC is required to have Department of Housing officials present with Council officials when carrying out these homeless encampment evictions, in order for the Department of Housing to offer and coordinate potential permanent and/or temporary accommodation solutions for rough sleepers.

Its understood that roughly half of the tent sleepers accepted the offer of temporary accommodation; however, which accommodation options were offered and accepted remains unknown and how long the temporary stay will be.

Councillor Massey, who, as of Thursday 5 March, happened across another operation where Council officials were evicting tent sleepers, came to learn that while [Department of Housing] officers were present on site, they remained in a car 10-15 metres away and did not speak to a single rough sleeper or offer any housing support.

Massey continued:

The video below was posted on Councillor Trina Masseys Instagram shortly after another video showing Massey at the location as the tent eviction operation was in process.

As the Councillor explained, when the BCC carries out these sweeping operations to clear out rough sleepers, the official protocol requires Council officials to first place a warning tag on the tents to inform any possible inhabitants of potential eviction and tent removal, typically 24 hours after the tag is attached.

(Image supplied)

According to on-the-ground sources, who will remain anonymous for privacy purposes, rough sleepers in Musgrave Park were informed on Wednesday 18 February that these notices were only procedural and that they only needed to move their tents to another section of the park as the Council intended to have the grass mowed.

This was reportedly echoed by a QPS officer on the 18th when they were questioned by rough sleepers and community members as to why there were notice tags on all of the tents.

Mason Garland is an independent Brisbane journalist focusing on homelessness and how governments and the community respond to the current state of the housing crisis in Queensland.

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