Thousands march on City Hall protesting violent evictions after recent shooting incidents

CENTER CITY - Saturday saw a rally against violent evictions in Philadelphia, the protest coming after several tenants were shot recently while being served eviction notices, including two in the last week.

"We need protection," Theresa Howell said. "We need to know that if we get put out, we won’t get shot."

The protest happened just days after Philly’s Landlord Tenant Office agreed to temporarily stop performing evictions. The decision was made after one of their contractors shot a 33-year-old woman in the leg in Kensington, making it their third shooting in just a few months.

Community organizer with Make the Road PA Philadelphia, Myriam Ramirez, said, "We cannot afford for LTO, or anyone who wants to come pull guns on people. They are not breaking the law. They just can’t move."

The march was organized by the Center for Popular Democracy. Estrella Lopez, from Casa, is protesting for her family, who emigrated from Guatemala. While reading a letter her father wrote, Estrella says, "We have to make changes now. We need to fix the health and wealth in Pennsylvania. Legislators support the housing campaign, because most of the working-class citizens, like me, live at home under deplorable conditions."

RELATED COVERAGE:

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• Woman shot by court appointed contractor during eviction in Kensington: police
• Landlord tenant officer shoots woman during eviction notice in North Philadelphia, police say

Theresa Howell describes her living conditions in her Frankford apartment. "I have mold in my bathroom. My kitchen needs to be redone totally. I have rats, roaches, mice, squirrels, possums and groundhogs."

The event also saw several elected officials, such as Councilmember Jamie Gauthier, who has demanded hearings and reform of the LTO after a woman was shot in the head in March. During a different eviction, an officer shot at a dog.

"These contractors need training on de-escalation and the appropriate discharge of firearms and how to carry out evictions appropriately. We need much more transparency on the activities of this office," Gauthier stated.

Casa organizer Ana Roduez, invited elected officials to the residences, saying, "Come to their places. See how they live. And, you’re going to be empathetic and you’re going to be sorry for these people."

FOX 29 reached out the Landlord Tenant Office for comment and is waiting to hear back.

"We’ll go to Harrisburg. We’ll go to Washington," Ramirez said. "We’ll go wherever we need to go to get justice for our people."

Officials expect the moratorium on evictions by LTO to last about 30 days. Philadelphia Sheriffs will continue with enforcing evictions.