Video by Bill Sorem; Text by Michael McIntee and Bill Sorem

http://blip.tv/play/hrI9gviwJAA.html?p=1

Sheriff’s deputies tried twice this week to evict Occupy Minnesota supporters from a foreclosed home they were defending.

On Wednesday, aggressive efforts of Occupy Minnesota foiled a 4:00 PM sheriff’s raid on the foreclosed home of the Cruz family. The deputies retreated.

On Friday they returned again at 4:00 AM, armed with battering rams, a jack hammers and bolt cutters. There were about a dozen occupy volunteers sleeping at the house. All but two were ordered outside – the two couldn’t find their shoes. The five people secured to the building were forcibly removed and arrested, currently held until Tuesday morning.

Again the sheriff’s crew was driven back by the occupy volunteers who came up the alley and entered the back of the house. The deputies retreated with their prisoners leaving the home is shambles.

A rally in front of City hall at noon on May 25, featured the broken door and speeches by supporters including three members of the Minneapolis City Council. The door was then delivered to Sheriff Stanek’s Office in City Hall. The sheriff declined to meet with the demonstrators. The broken door was left at the front door of his office. A major source of frustration was that the bank was working with the Cruz family to clear up the situation and renew the mortgage. The sheriff’s actions cut across this progress and was seen as unnecessary and punitive by those close to the situation.

Council member Gary Schiff produced pads of Post It notes that were used to post notes to Sheriff Stanek on the window of his office.