Oakland, January 16 (RHC)-- In the U.S. city of Oakland, California, at least four people were arrested after sheriff’s deputies carried out a pre-dawn militarized raid aimed at evicting a group of mothers who had moved into a vacant house, owned by real estate investment firm Wedgewood Properties.

The group, Moms 4 Housing, is fighting homelessness and real estate speculation that has made housing unaffordable in Oakland and across the country.  Just after 5 a.m. Tuesday morning, dozens of armed deputies, including a tactical team, descended on the house on Magnolia Street, broke down the door with a battering ram and sent a robot into the house — allegedly to search for possible “threats.”

The deputies arrested two mothers who were living in the house, as well as two of their supporters.  All four were later released on bail.