Homeless Rights Protest at Hotel Ends; 5 Arrested

Homeless rights activists’ seven-day demonstration at a boarded-up hotel ended Wednesday morning when police arrested five people and dispersed a group of about 30 who had been sleeping there.

Santa Monica Police Department spokesman Lt. Gary Gallinot said 29 people voluntarily left the Flamingo Hotel in the 1700 block of Ocean Avenue when police arrived at 5 a.m. Wednesday. Demonstrators at the hotel complained that there is a shortage of shelters for the homeless in Santa Monica.

Arrested for trespassing on private property and resisting arrest were Jennafer Waggoner, 27, of Santa Monica; Michael Reinsborough, 28, of Los Angeles; and David Ernest Busch, 42.

All three posted bail by Wednesday afternoon and are scheduled to be arraigned in Santa Monica Municipal Court on Dec. 19.

Two teenage girls were also arrested, Gallinot said. A 17-year-old was released at the request of her parents, and a 16-year-old was taken to the Department of Children’s Services.

Police had received a call from the building’s owners, Maguire Thomas Partners, asking that the demonstrators be removed, Gallinot said.

Since Nov. 12, demonstrators had been taking turns chaining themselves by their wrists to a pole behind the hotel to protest that county cold-weather shelters were not open despite cold and rainy weather last week.

Through Dec. 16, the 24 county-run cold-weather shelters will open whenever there is a 50% chance of rain or if the temperature is predicted to drop below 40, Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority officials said. The winter shelters will be open between Dec. 16 and Feb. 28.