Hawthorne Park campground disbanded

MEDFORD, Ore. – Police broke up what they called an “unauthorized campground” in Medford Tuesday.

In the days following the Almeda Fire, a tent city sprang up in Hawthorne Park.

A self-proclaimed group of citizens, calling itself “Hawthorne Mutual Aid,” said it organized the camp for people displaced by Oregon fires. However, police said the people living in the park were from California, Idaho and Washington. They further stated that only two people out of the dozens of campers were actually fire victims.

On Monday, the City of Medford deployed their Livability Team to tell campers at Hawthorne Park to move out by the following day. Officers said they’re empathetic about what people are going thorough, but they need to make the park safe for families to use. According to police, 34 people were connected with resources while a further 36 did not accept help.

By Tuesday morning, the campground was “disbanded,” according to Medford police. Officers said 11 arrests were made at the park for various reasons.

The Medford Police Department said they’ll provide more information about the camp Tuesday afternoon.

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