Anti-Eviction Press Conference TODAY at noon! -TBTL

On Friday, July 29, 2011 at 11 Appleton St. in Rochester the family of Virginia Henry, Take Back the Land Rochester, and community members will hold a press conference denouncing both the recent forceful eviction by Fannie Mae and the arrest, brutality, and excessive response by the Rochester Police.

On Thursday July 21, Virginia Henry, facing foreclosure and eviction, courageously took a stand for her family and her home on 11 Appleton St. in Rochester, NY. What followed was quite a disgusting site. Instead of trying to work out what appears to be an illegal foreclosure and eviction, Fannie Mae and the Rochester Police Department teamed up for another SWAT-like eviction arresting the homeowner on her own property in order to make another family homeless and another house vacant.
Rochester police, just like in March on Ravewood Ave., shut down Appleton St. with at least 10 police cars to tear the family of 5 out of their home. What they weren't expecting was Virginia Henry, inspired by Cathy Lennon's March defense of her home, to nonviolently take a stand. When Marshal Sande Macaluso came to the door backed by Rochester Police he said Virginia had 15 minutes to get all of her stuff out of the house. Ms. Henry demanded the police treat her with respect and get their hands off her home. Immediately they slapped handcuffs on Ms. Henry and pushed her to the grown. Ms. Henry passed out within seconds of police pinning her face down to the pavement in record-breaking 98 degree heat. She was brought the hospital in handcuffs. When Ms. Henry woke up in Highland Hospital the police had informed her that they had forcefully taken control of the house. The police claimed the house was Fannie Mae's now.

To stop these atrocities we must defend housing for all.