Homeless Encampment in Alley Bulldozed : The poor: The lean-to shelters were occupied by 125 people. City officials feared the spread of a dangerous bacteria. The area also had problems associated with drugs and alcohol.

A city bulldozer on Thursday razed a downtown alley full of lean-to shelters where 125 homeless people had been living.

The encampment, made up of shelters built with wooden pallets, cardboard and sheets of plastic, sprang up nine months ago in a filthy alley behind the Union Rescue Mission.

On Thursday morning, the alley denizens awakened to the sight of the bulldozer, backed by three dump trucks, poised to mow down their belongings.

The bulldozer and trucks were dispatched by city officials who feared the spread of shigella bacteria, which can cause severe diarrhea and vomiting.

Fighting fueled by drug and alcohol abuse had also alarmed local business owners, who had pleaded with the city to take action.

“Unfortunately, this site has been plagued by drug activity and other crimes, so it was a health and safety issue,” said Bill Chandler, spokesman for Mayor Tom Bradley. “The city intends to give them all shelters.”

By 9 a.m. all but a handful of the street people had left after receiving vouchers allowing them to stay in certain Skid Row hotels for up to 15 days.

But Jonathan Rollie and his wife, Belinda, would have none of it.

“I ain’t signing no voucher and I ain’t going nowhere but to jail,” said Rollie, who had lived in the alley for eight months. “We’re going to jail together or we’re going to stay here and die together--me, my wife and our dog, Cutter.”

Belinda, sobbing uncontrollably, added: “White people took land from the Indians and now they are taking this from us.”

Persuaded by Los Angeles police officers to change their minds, they eventually loaded their clothes, sleeping mats and food into a cart and moved on.

A few minutes later, a police officer turned toward the bulldozer and trucks and gave a thumbs-up sign.

Many of the displaced homeless people gathered across the street and yelled “We’ll be back!” as the bulldozer scraped the alley clean of pallets, plywood, blankets and camper shells.

“They have no place to go,” said Ted Hayes, an advocate for the homeless. “It’s a crazy, vicious cycle.”