Brooklyn home ‘liberated’ by ‘Occupy’ protesters; cops hang back

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Mary Altaffer / AP Occupy Wall Street activists join Alfredo Carrasquillo, center, and his children Tanisha, 9, and Alfredo Jr. at a house warming party after the seizure of the foreclosed house in Brooklyn. (Upper left is Rep. Charles Barron who joined the action)

The operation to occupy a vacant foreclosed home in Brooklyn on behalf of a homeless family from New York City appears to be a success. The front door of the two-story house on Vermont Street apparently was unlocked when the marchers arrived.

Alfredo Carrasquillo, the father of the homeless family, thanked the marchers for at least temporarily providing them with a home.

“I appreciate every single one of you,” he said. “This is just the beginning; there’s still a lot more work that needs to be done. But I hope that all of you will be here as that work continues.”

He then re-entered the home with his wife, Natasha, and two kids. Members of the media were not allowed inside.

Miranda Leitsinger / msnbc.com A member of the protesters’ cleanup crew raises a fist in triumph after occupying the vacant foreclosed home in Brooklyn.

Police who escorted the marchers through Brooklyn stopped when the marchers arrived at the home and remained a distance away as the celebration of the “liberation” of the foreclosed home began. A brass band played, people danced and food was passed around as the cleanup crew got down to business.

One of them, Jordan McCarthy, 22, from New Hampshire, walked by carrying two brooms.

“I’m really excited, really glad that I am able to help this family and that we’re fighting for equal housing rights,” said McCarthy, who has been a member of the sanitation crew at the Occupy Wall Street protest. “It’s a really important issue.”

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