A fight in Fountain Square Monday has led to suspension of the Streetplus “Clean Team” program designed to clean up Evanston’s business districts.
The City of Evanston Tuesday afternoon announced the program’s suspension and released security camera video that shows the “Clean Team” crew pulling up in a pickup truck as a man appeared to be urinating on a utility box in the square.
In the video, the team members, in blue jackets, are seen confronting the man, who was wearing a dark coat and a green shirt with the number 12 on it.
After a few moments the confrontation turns into a fist fight and moves out into the middle of Orrington Avenue where the “Clean Team” members can be seen punching and kicking the man before they eventually get back into their truck and drive off.
In a news release, city spokesman Patrick Deignan said, “The actions captured in the footage of this incident are disturbing and entirely unacceptable, and are not in line with the city’s values.”
The City Council approved a one-year $500,000 contract with New York City-based Streetplus to run the program last fall. It’s being paid for with federal American Rescue Plan Act funds.
Deignan says the program will remain suspended pending further investigation of the incident.