MYRTLE BEACH -- A group of homeless people living at a camp off Grissom Parkway in Myrtle Beach protested Friday because they were asked to leave the property.
"We're only human. We're not asking for a lot. We just need a place to stay. They all need a place to stay," said Malinda Hardwick, who said she has been living in the camp for several months.
Hardwick and the others in the group were informed that they needed to vacate the property by 8 a.m. Friday because the property owner asked Horry County police to enforce the no trespassing law.
The camp is within Myrtle Beach's city limits, but is a pocket of land under the jurisdiction of Horry County police. It's between Mr. Joe White Avenue and Highway 501.
Thursday evening, Lt. Jack Stewart with Horry County police, told us, "We've gone out and made contact with them, we've given them some time to gather their belongings, get whatever they can and leave."
Myrtle Beach police asked the protestors Friday morning not to block the sidewalk. They were allowed to continue to protest as long as they kept moving.
Supporters of the homeless say, with thousands of runners in town for the Bi Lo Myrtle Beach Marathon and with the marathon route going right by the camp, the timing of the eviction looks suspicious.
"We're hearing that all the people that's coming in for the marathon, they don't want to see all the guys and stuff in the woods, so (police) told them to get out or they were gonna be locked up," said Allen Purvis, who does volunteer work for the homeless.
Horry County police deny the marathon had anything to do with the removal of the camp.
The people living in the camp packed up all their tents and loaded them into several pick-up trucks. They're now trying to figure out where they're going to go.
We interviewed several residents of the camp Thursday night, you can watch their stories here.
We also visited the camp several weeks ago when a man woke up on fire. You can watch that follow up storyhere.
