On August 25th of this year, a group of protesters entered Battery Park in Burlington and set up a tent camp. They announced a set of demands, with the primary demand being the firing of three Burlington police officers who had been accused of having used excessive force during the performance of their duties. The group stated that they would continue to occupy the park until their demands were met.
On Wednesday, September 30th without fanfare, the protesters abandoned their camp, leaving over a dozen tents, dozens of homemade signs, and piles of trash. One of the three officers that they demanded be fired had accepted a buyout deal from the city of Burlington, while the other two officers remained on duty. While I am sympathetic to at least some of the demands from the protesters, it would be hard to describe the protest, considering the original demands, to be a success.
While good intentions are commendable, one needs a lot more than that to be successful in an endeavor like this. Where did things go wrong?
Unrealistic Demands
You can't just fire a police officer. Having been in a leadership position in a union environment (the State of Vermont) I can tell you from experience that the employees have protections under the contract to protect them from arbitrary actions by management (which is a good thing). Due process and discipline are clearly defined and must be followed. The three police officers had gone through the due process defined by the contract, so the matter was closed. Interestingly, a member of the Police Commission resigned, reportedly because he advocated having the city fire the officers anyway, and deal with the consequences. The consequences, once arbitration concluded, would probably have included reinstatement to their jobs, back pay, and punitive damages. I am glad that the city officials did not take him seriously and that he has faded from the spotlight. I have forgotten his name already
The protesters, by making a demand (fire the officers) that the city was not going to accept, combined with a pledge to remain in the park until it happened, set the stage for failure.
A Short-Term Camp and a Long-Term Commitment
In the beginning, the protesters enjoyed a lot of support. Food was donated, one of the owners of a nearby house allowed them to fill plastic jugs with water for drinking, and there was a lot of positive response with honking of horns when people drove by and saw protesters along the street with their signs.
Over time, though, the Law of Diminishing returns kicked in. People often lose interest in donating to something that does not appear to be reaching a successful conclusion. This protest did not appear to have substantial financial backing to permit ongoing purchase of needed supplies. Also, more protesters may join the camp, while others grow tired of the ongoing status quo and decide to leave. Toward the end, it looked like the exodus had begun well before the last day.
While food and shelter are important, hygiene and sanitation are also necessary for a living situation that needs to be able to continue for a prolonged period. Protesters who plan to live in a tent probably do not bring a large suitcase with a lot of clothing; they are more likely to be traveling light with a few outfits. While there is a laundromat a few blocks away on Pearl street, I am not sure how many protesters chose to utilize it.
For bathrooms, the protesters had Port-a-Potties. While these may be OK for one-time or occasional use, I can't say I would recommend them as the only option for weeks.
As for bathing, there are no facilities in Battery Park. If there was any provision for bathing, it wasn't evident, and the fact that they were filling plastic jugs with water from a nearby home would indicate that there would have to be a lot of this happening to support regular bathing for dozens of people. How likely is that?
No "Mission Accomplished"
The way this protest was going, there was a potential for it to look like a modern version of Washington's encampment at Valley Forge. I can totally understand people giving up, but why the messy exit? Why abandon perfectly good tents?
The answer, from my perspective, is that perhaps the tents were not "perfectly good". Picture yourself as a protester. You brought along a couple of changes of clothing. You have been there for over a month, living in close proximity to many others, wearing the same clothes repeatedly, not bathing very well (if at all), and the weather, which was pretty warm at the beginning, is starting to cool off.
Because of the living conditions, did the protesters begin to experience some public health issues? Bedbugs? Scabies? Why else would you simply leave multiple tents in the park? I do not know for sure, but one certainly wonders.
Fortunately, this protest was non-violent and, with a few exceptions, civil. City officials chose wisely to not confront the protesters for camping illegally in the park and to wait them out.
If nothing else, the protest serves as an example of good intentions without being well thought out. One of the adult learning principles is "How It's Not Done", and this definitely falls in that category.
And no, I do not want a used tent.
