In a move that critics are calling “one of the most tasteless events I’ve ever heard of,” Berkeley landlords are celebrating the end of eviction protections in the East Bay city with a cocktail party. The Berkeley Property Owners Association, a trade group for rental property owners in Berkeley, apparently believes regaining the right to throw people out of their homes is cause for celebration — or at least a networking event. The “Fall Social Mixer: Celebrating the End of the Eviction Moratorium” is set for the evening of Sept. 12; the event was first spotted by Berkeleyside.

About an hour passed before protesters entered the bar, at which point multiple fights broke out, Berkeleyside reported. According to one witness, a male BPOA member who attended the event slapped a female protester in the face and pushed her. Videos of the event show other violent altercations, including a protester knocking a party attendee’s eyeglasses off and a party attendee swinging their fist toward a protester.

Statement by the Landlord association:

“We condemn the actions of hostile dissidents who disrupted a private gathering at a local restaurant to intimidate, harass, and physically assault our members who are law-abiding small business owners,” read part of a statement, which was shared with SFGATE.

“Hostile dissidents” is some interesting phrasing for local residents chanting outside of a bar.

gulag

  • pillow [she/her]@hexbear.net
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    1 year ago

    small business owners

    it’s always disconcerting when they go out of their way to say this as if they expect it to make them seem sympathetic

    • Mardoniush [she/her]@hexbear.net
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      1 year ago

      They think people interpret it as “Struggling smol bean trying to get ahead in the world” and not “My worst ever boss who was an absolutely gigantic fascist”