In the South Minneapolis neighborhood of East Phillips, on Dakota territory, there is a building known as the "Roof Depot."
Community members, and especially those living at the Little Earth housing complex, want to turn it into a community center and indoor farm, with rooftop solar.
The city of Minneapolis wants to demolish it, to build a highly polluting truck yard and diesel fueling station.
The Depot suppresses an arsenic plume deposited by a pesticide factory that operated next door from 1938-1963. If it gets demolished, residents would be at risk of toxic arsenic exposure. The city has no stated plan for remediating this arsenic or ensuring that it won’t poison community members.
The community has already resisted the demolition plan fiercely, and on many fronts. An occupation of the site began in the morning on February 21st, turning it into Nenoocaasi Camp. The Minneapolis police destroyed it that night.
Demolition was scheduled to begin on Monday, February 27th, 2023. However, on Friday, February 24th, the court granted an in injunction (temporary restraining order) against the demolition, which means no demolition will happen until the court of appeals schedules a hearing for the East Phillips Neighborhood Institution (EPNI, the plaintiff in the case). This could take anywhere from a month to a year.
While the fight is far from over, this is a major win, which would not have been possible without ALL the incredible organizing and leadership shown by the East Phillips and Little Earth communities, in solidarity with communities far beyond!
We will not allow this demolition to happen, ever.
(Follow us on Instagram & Twitter at @defendthedepot for updates!)
Community members, and especially those living at the Little Earth housing complex, want to turn it into a community center and indoor farm, with rooftop solar.
The city of Minneapolis wants to demolish it, to build a highly polluting truck yard and diesel fueling station.
The Depot suppresses an arsenic plume deposited by a pesticide factory that operated next door from 1938-1963. If it gets demolished, residents would be at risk of toxic arsenic exposure. The city has no stated plan for remediating this arsenic or ensuring that it won’t poison community members.
The community has already resisted the demolition plan fiercely, and on many fronts. An occupation of the site began in the morning on February 21st, turning it into Nenoocaasi Camp. The Minneapolis police destroyed it that night.
Demolition was scheduled to begin on Monday, February 27th, 2023. However, on Friday, February 24th, the court granted an in injunction (temporary restraining order) against the demolition, which means no demolition will happen until the court of appeals schedules a hearing for the East Phillips Neighborhood Institution (EPNI, the plaintiff in the case). This could take anywhere from a month to a year.
While the fight is far from over, this is a major win, which would not have been possible without ALL the incredible organizing and leadership shown by the East Phillips and Little Earth communities, in solidarity with communities far beyond!
We will not allow this demolition to happen, ever.
(Follow us on Instagram & Twitter at @defendthedepot for updates!)
