METRO TO REPLACE FENCES DAMAGED AT SUBWAY STOPS

AGENCY HOPES TO IDENTIFY, PROSECUTE SUSPECTS

Metro officials have decided to replace the barriers to four subway stations that were torn down in the early hours of Christmas morning, and will pursue criminal prosecution against those responsible, if they can be identified, a Metro spokeswoman said yesterday.

"We put them up to ensure the security of the system after hours and that's the same reason we're reinstating them," said Marilyn Dicus of Metro. "We really feel we have an obligation to provide a healthy environment for riders, and these barriers are providing that."

The decision is the latest in a series of confrontations between advocates for the homeless, who say the Metro escalators provide a warm sleeping area for the District's homeless, and Metro officials, who have said the homeless create unsanitary conditions at the stations because they defecate on the steps.

On Christmas Day, Mitch Snyder, advocate for the homeless, announced at a news conference that all 50 members of his Community for Creative Non-Violence had agreed to accept responsibility for damaging the barriers.

Barriers were torn down at four stations in Northwest Washington: Metro Center, McPherson Square, Farragut North and Farragut West. At all the stations, the metal fences were smashed in, apparently with hammers. Dicus would not say how much the fences cost.

Yesterday, Snyder said Metro's decision was "untenable and unconscionable." He said that security has never been an issue, but that Metro officials "are simply trying to rid {the Metro escalators} of homeless people and that is a disgusting position."

The strategy to take collective responsibility for the incident poses a legal and investigative challenge to Metro police, who can prosecute only specific individuals based on specific evidence against them.

"We are looking at legal avenues," said Dicus, who said civil redress was also under consideration. "We need to be careful. We want to have a good, solid case." She said the charge likely would be destruction of public property.

She said additional security measures are under consideration, but refused to be specific.

Snyder has waged a public battle with Metro since last winter when the first chain link fence was erected at the Farragut West station.

Articles appear as they were originally printed in The Washington Post and may not include subsequent corrections.