THREAD : Exceptions for Participating in Eviction Defense.

Disclaimer - this our position. Based on our experience and on the groundwork provided by Tenants Unions an housing activists from across the country.

Eviction defense can look really different for each eviction - this is because the tenant(s) should chose/direct how they want the defense to act and react. This is not a place for autonomous decision making or spontaneous diversity of tactics.

Eviction defense can be very dangerous and, if executed poorly, can do harm to the tenant(s) and to the participants. Please come prepared to support the calls provided by the tenant or their proxy, to reduce the chance of this.

Each participant maintains their autonomy, and the relationship between the tenant(s) and supporter(s) is two-way. If you aren’t willing/able/prepared to do what is being asked, have a plan to remove yourself from the area of that action without disrupting it.

There may be organizers in designated roles: Tenant Liaison, Media Liaison, Neighborhood Liaison, Logistics, etc. Show up ready to look for them, take direction, and chose from the options that have been provided for supporters.

Remind yourself that the tenant(s) is/are the sun in this solar system. If this action look or feels different from another eviction defense you’ve seen or participated in, it is because it has a different sun and therefore the solar system is also different.

Remember that not every tenant(s) invites an Eviction Defense action to their residence, during a stressful and traumatic time, in order to dismantle capitalism, abolish police, or {insert larger goal here}. 1/2

There is lots of space to discuss how housing (in)security, property ownership, ending police violence etc are absolutely interwoven in these circumstances, but that space might not be at the sight of eviction. 2/2

If you are experiencing an eviction and have invited an eviction defense action to your residence, you call the shots. If you are not experiencing an eviction at the eviction defense action in question, you do not.