The homeless people who live in Stranahan Park describe a crush of bulldozers, garbage trucks and police on May 19, when many say they lost the few possessions they had left. They say police swept in with garbage bins, gave them only minutes to gather their belongings and then disposed of clothing, medicines, makeshift bedding and other items in the park in downtown Fort Lauderdale.

Now, the events of that day are at the center of a lawsuit in federal court by 16 plaintiffs accusing the city of violating their Fourth and Fourteenth Amendment rights.

“The constitution protects people from having their personal belongings seized by the government,” according to a video by the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida, which teamed with Southern Legal Counsel to bring the lawsuit. “Just because a person is homeless doesn't mean they lose this protection.”