Clash Between Supporters and Police During Airin Center Eviction

On the morning of December 1, 2024, around 7:00 AM, a forced eviction took place at the Airin General Center in Osaka’s Nishinari Ward, affecting homeless individuals who had been living on the premises.

In April 2020, Osaka Prefecture filed a lawsuit with the Osaka District Court seeking eviction of the homeless. In May of this year, the Supreme Court dismissed the appeal, solidifying the defeat of the homeless residents. This forced eviction was carried out more than six months after the ruling.

The Airin General Center, established in 1970, has supported countless workers who gathered from across the country by offering services such as job placement, dining facilities, hospitals, and housing. It has been a symbol of Nishinari, particularly the Airin district, and was commonly referred to as “the Center” by workers.

At its peak, long lines formed early in the morning as people sought day labor, and it also served as a long-standing refuge for homeless individuals.

Due to the building’s aging structure and earthquake safety concerns, it was closed in April 2019, with plans for reconstruction. Despite its closure, homeless individuals continued to sleep in the central hall, known as Yoseba, and its surrounding areas.

Support Groups Clash with Police

On the day of the forced eviction, workers in orange and green jackets, along with plainclothes police officers, were deployed around the center, and heavy machinery and trucks arrived one after another to begin the operation. The homeless residents were reportedly shocked and taken aback by the sudden commencement of the work.

Various items, including sofas, bedding, and objects that were indistinguishable from garbage, which had been placed in front of the center’s shutters, were swiftly loaded onto trucks. At the same time, barricades were set up along the road on the west side of the center, completely blocking traffic until the operation was completed before 5:00 PM.

As a result of this operation by Osaka Prefecture, support groups for the homeless began protesting, shouting, “Stop this surprise attack! Police, leave!” Some protesters even lay down in the middle of the road, and after repeated attempts to persuade them, they were wrapped in blankets and moved to the sidewalk.

As noon approached, the support group demanded to be allowed to distribute food on the sidewalk. The police repeatedly stated, “It’s not allowed because it obstructs pedestrian movement.” After an exchange of words, with one person shouting, “You took away the place for the food distribution!”, the support group set up pots and cooking equipment from a cart onto the sidewalk and began serving porridge to the homeless.

After serving the meal, they announced, “Next, we will do another food distribution at 5 p.m.” Following that, both the police and the support group left the area, with only a few remaining.

Around 3 p.m., the court officials posted notices regarding the storage location of the remaining goods for the occupants. This forced eviction did not involve disposing of the items as trash but rather treating them as stored property. Additionally, a place for the homeless to sleep was provided.

At around 4 p.m., the support group began using light trucks to transport various items and set up a large pop-up tent on the road.

The police, clearly more forceful, said, “We cannot allow a tent in the middle of the road. Please remove it immediately. At 4:13 p.m., this is your warning.” In response, the supporters raised their voices, saying, “The vehicles can still pass, so what’s the problem? If this spot is not acceptable, find us another place!”

The back-and-forth continued, with police issuing another warning at 4:20 p.m., saying, “Please remove the tent immediately.” At the same time, officers from the Nishinari Traffic Division arrived, using a measuring tape to assess the width of the tent and the area of road being occupied, documenting evidence that the tent was obstructing traffic.

Realizing the situation was getting worse, the support group decided to leave the tent where it was and unexpectedly moved their cooking operation. They climbed over the fence of the Nishinari Comprehensive Welfare Center, which was closed for the holiday, and began cooking there instead.

“Are you asking us to eat raw meat?”

The police warned, “This is private property, so please leave immediately. It will be considered trespassing,” but the response was, “This is a public space we always use. What do you mean trespassing?” This led to another back-and-forth. The police then tried to convince the support group by bringing the center’s staff.

The staff member repeatedly said, “This is private property, so please move immediately,” but the response was, “You want us to move and not use fire? Are you telling us to eat raw meat?” The support group was agitated and remained in an excited state throughout the exchange.

The staff member then said, “If you continue to occupy this space, we will have to leave the situation to the police,” which caused the support group to respond, “I’ve never seen you before. Are you really from the center? You’re leaving it to the police, so you’re condoning violence!”

Then, another staff member arrived and said, “We have repeatedly asked you politely. Once you finish cooking, please leave the area.” At this, the support group applauded, and the pork soup was served to the people living on the street.

At the same time, the support group packed up their tent, and the police also began to leave. No arrests were made, and the argument that had started early in the morning ended rather abruptly.