Bartons Win a Battle, but the Fight Continues!
Lot’s of action at the Barton House yesterday. Here’s a brief recap:
Yesterday morning at 7:30am, Sheriff’s deputies descended onto the Barton house. They had locksmiths with them, who immediately began changing locks as the deputies entered to speak with the Bartons. They broke down the back gate to the back yard, and came in three deep to the back door. SAFE members immediately mobilized in response, forming a human blockade.
The deputies were met with Byron and Jean chained to his hospital bed with a family friend. An overwhelmed Sheriff’s department scrambled to try to address the situation, and in the time it took for them to figure out what to do, media and supporters arrived in force. Multiple human blockades were established around the house, while cameras and reporters watched and documented.
Paramedics arrived to transport Bryon to the VA hospital against his will. The deputies offered Byron two options: go to the hospital  or be dumped on the street to die. Staying in his home under the care of his family was off the table.
Byron was carried out through a side door to the house in an attempt to carry him down the hill to the street where the ambulance was waiting. SAFE activists had a singular objective: keep Byron in his neighborhood. They blockaded the paramedics and were dragged away by the police. Then they blockaded the ambulance by throwing themselves under the vehicle, not allowing the ambulance to leave the premises. Sheriff’s deputies attempted to drag the SAFE members out from under the vehicle, but for every two activists removed, two were right there to take their place.
Eventually, the Sheriff’s department relented and Byron was released from the ambulance. SAFE held a press conference and gave Byron a voice he would not have had if the ambulance had been allowed to leave.
Because of the tentative nature of Byron’s medical condition, Byron needed access to his home for medical care. Fortunately, the Barton’s home was found unsecure, and Byron was brought back home, where he remains as of the writing of this update!
The fight continues! Seattle police where brought in to clear the Barton family home of “trespassers” in the late afternoon. They decided to hold off on arresting anyone to “review the paperwork” but did not make any guarantees that they won’t be back to enforce the theft of the home by Chase Bank and Triangle Properties.
We need your help!  We need people to come down to 6548 41st Ave SW Seattle to stand with the Bartons.
​Call Mr. Daher ​
Call Mr. Mohamad Daher of Triangle Properties and tell him to negotiate with the Bartons. They are offering to pay rent while they appeal the legality of the Chase Bank Foreclosure.
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Their appeal is in the courts right now. ​
Triangle Properties is lying about them having lots of money and has refused to reasonably negotiate up to this point. We have already demonstrated outside his multimillion dollar condo on Alki Beach. The fight against Triangle Properties and their foreclosure profiteering is just beginning. Mr. Daher’s phone number is 206-420-1674. Let everyone at City Hall know you support the Bartons staying in their home.
Join the action. Here’s Some of the Fantastic Coverage from yesterday:
The Press Conference on YouTube
Standing Against Foreclosure & Eviction
Housing is a Human Right​
​SAFEinSeattle.org​