The National Park Service carried out a small operation during the government shutdown at McPherson Square in Washington, D.C., to remove a homeless individual’s belongings.
The Department of the Interior confirmed to the Washington Examiner that the NPS and U.S. Park Police acted to remove belongings from McPherson Square on Tuesday.
The park, which is just blocks from the White House, previously housed the city’s largest encampment, with more than 70 people living there. NPS cleared the encampment in 2023 due to public health and safety concerns, and an extensive rehabilitation process took place. In recent days, though, homeless people have moved back into the park.
The operation comes during the government shutdown, when thousands of federal workers, including those at the DOI, are furloughed. According to the NPS contingency plan, the agency has furloughed about 9,296 out of the 14,500 workers.
Nevertheless, the removal aligns with President Donald Trump’s priorities.
In August, Trump warned homeless people to leave D.C., vowing to clear encampments at parks throughout the city. The agency said that to date, NPS has removed over 80 homeless encampments across D.C., as directed by Trump’s executive order, Make DC Safe and Beautiful Again.
MOST NATIONAL PARKS TO REMAIN OPEN DURING SHUTDOWN, BUT WITH LIMITED STAFFING
Currently, a handful of homeless individuals are sitting on benches throughout the park, but one of those individuals, who goes by Lucy, told the Washington Examiner that the government does not have the right to remove people sitting on benches.
“It’s a public park. I’m sitting on a bench. I’m not promulgating anything. I don’t have merchandise like I’m setting up a house. So how can you push me out? It’s wrong,” she said.
