Sofa, rug among items cleared from Thomas Square sidewalk

The city last week seized more than three dozen items, including chairs, a sofa, coolers, a rug, a mattress and a Christmas tree stand, from Occupy Hono­lulu and homeless campers who use the sidewalks on the makai side of South Beretania Street at Thomas Square.

Responding to complaints, city crews on Jan. 30 removed and stored 37 items which included 13 chairs, a sofa, two coolers, an area rug, two office chairs, a Christmas tree stand, two one-gallon paint cans, a folding mattress, a pillow, a man’s belt, a quilt, a hat, slippers, an umbrella, two box springs, one queen mattress, a handbag, two signs and two tents.

Crews from the city Facility Maintenance Department assisted by city parks officials tagged the items Jan. 29 under a 2011 city law that forbids storage of personal items on city property.

Homeless people and Occupy Hono­lulu protesters had 24 hours to remove the items or have them seized. People have 30 days to claim the items at the city’s Halawa base yard. After that the items will be destroyed. The city issued 127 removal notices at Thomas Square and the other locations.

The cleanup also included public sidewalks in the areas at Aala Park, Smith Street, Pau­ahi Street, River Street, Makiki’s Cartwright Park, Pawaa Park, Kala­malu Playground and Park, and on Punchbowl and Queen streets. However, no items were removed from these areas because homeless people moved the items after they were cited.

The city reported that 7.75 cubic yards of trash was taken from Thomas Square and other sites.

City crews also power-washed the sidewalks after the tents and other items were removed.

Occupy Honolulu protesters have camped on the sidewalks at Thomas Square since November 2011.

However, civic groups, including supporters of the Hono­lulu Museum of Art, whose entrance is across from Thomas Square, have complained that sidewalks there during the past several months have once again become an encampment of homeless people.