ST. LOUIS, May 17 (UPI) -- An evangelist whose organization operates homeless shelters was among four people arrested after they refused to leave a St. Louis, Mo., homeless encampment.
The Rev. Larry Rice, director of the New Life Evangelistic Center in St. Louis, was arrested with three others Wednesday evening, less than 2 hours after city officials issued an emergency condemnation for the encampment, The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.
The encampment, which Rice named "Integrity Village," had eight sleeping tents and a larger main tent on two acres of private property.
Some of those at the site left before police arrived and four others accepted city officials' offer to take them to an emergency shelter set up to take in homeless residents.
Rice and one of his supporters, James Potter, criticized the city for providing the emergency shelter and not permanent housing for those who were at the encampment.
St. Louis Public Safety Director Eddie Roth said the city issued the condemnation order because the encampment lacked proper occupancy permits and created health and safety concerns.
"We want you to be safe. We hope you take us up on our offer of shelter," Roth said before the arrests.
Rice has said homeless people need camps, which he called a better alternative than walking the streets.
The city has also cleared the second of three homeless encampments north of downtown on the riverfront.
