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Scuffles over New Orleans housing New Orleans approves demolitions
(40 minutes later)
Police in the US city of New Orleans have used pepper spray and stun guns on protesters seeking to halt the demolition of public housing. New Orleans City Council has voted to demolish 4,500 public housing units despite violent protests against the development project earlier on Monday.
The protesters were trying to force their way into a city council meeting where members were expected to approve demolishing 4,500 houses. The US Department of Housing and Urban Development wants to replace the units, which were damaged by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, with new mixed-income housing.
The units were damaged by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and the US housing authority wants to replace them. But critics say the development will restrict the stock of cheap housing.
The protesters say the demolitions will drive poor blacks from the city. Earlier, police used pepper spray and stun guns on the protesters when they tried to get into the council chamber.
The city council's approval is required so the US Department of Housing and Urban Development can proceed with its plan to demolish the buildings and replace them with new mixed-income housing. Several people were treated for the effects of the pepper spray. It is not known if any of the protesters were arrested.
Temporary housingTemporary housing
Tensions had already been high before the meeting and scuffles broke out in the council chambers as the session opened. Following hours of debate and clashes outside the meeting, New Orleans City Council voted in favour of the government's plan to replace the decades-old structures damaged by Katrina to be demolished.
In pictures: city hall clashes In pictures: City hall clashes
Critics of the plan say it will further restrict the stock of cheap housing at a time when the city is still struggling to rebuild from Katrina. They also say the brick buildings are still sound and only need to be renovated. Beforehand, critics of the plan had argued it would further restrict the stock of cheap housing at a time when the city is still struggling to rebuild from Katrina. They also said the brick buildings were still sound and only needed to be renovated.
"It is beyond callous, and can only be seen as malicious discrimination," said Kali Akuno of the Coalition to Stop the Demolition."It is beyond callous, and can only be seen as malicious discrimination," said Kali Akuno of the Coalition to Stop the Demolition.
"It is an unabashed attempt to eliminate the black population of New Orleans.""It is an unabashed attempt to eliminate the black population of New Orleans."
Supporters of the demolition plan say it will allow developers to take advantage of tax breaks and build new neighbourhoods with an allotment of low-income housing. But supporters of the demolition plan argued it would allow developers to take advantage of tax breaks and build new neighbourhoods with an allotment of low-income housing.
Thousands of families from the southern states hit by Hurricane Katrina are still living in government-funded temporary housing, including caravan parks.Thousands of families from the southern states hit by Hurricane Katrina are still living in government-funded temporary housing, including caravan parks.