KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Members of KC Tenants chained themselves to the doors of the Jackson County Courthouse in downtown Kansas City, Missouri, Thursday morning.
The group also chained the doors shut, all in an effort to close court for the day.
BREAKING: KC Tenants has blockaded the court entrance. 6 people have chained the doors. The people have closed court for today. Every eviction is an act of violence. #endevictions pic.twitter.com/lkyn0vXosL
— KC Tenants (@KCTenants) October 15, 2020
The protest is in response to evictions taking place during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The group is calling evictions during the time period "acts of violence."
Some will move into motels, shelters, their cars, and double up in other housing units. Others will end up on the streets. All of these circumstances pose great risks to people, especially as COVID-19 cases continue to spike in Missouri.
We can’t let this happen. #EndEvictions pic.twitter.com/MskcpVKD2U
— KC Tenants (@KCTenants) October 15, 2020
41 Action News crews on the scene noted that the doors that were chained were already locked at the time.
In a statement released Thursday afternoon, a spokesperson representing the 16th Judicial Circuit, said that despite the locked doors, courthouse users were still able to enter the building on the other side, though one of the locked doors was for ADA access. Further, the spokesperson said no dockets were affected by the protest.
