Legal woes mount for Naperville 'protester'

Scott Huber's legal woes are growing.

The downtown Naperville squatter recently was charged with trespassing and disorderly conduct. The incident comes as he is in the midst of a court hearing over whether he should be allowed to camp on public property.

Huber, 59, was in front of a medical building at 4 N. Washington St. about 7:41 a.m. Feb. 1 when a doctor from the office asked him to leave, according to police Cmdr. Mike Anders.

"She claimed I was a potential scare for the kids coming into the building," Huber said Monday.

Huber refused to leave, saying he was on public property. Police say Huber then followed the woman into the building demanding to speak with her, prompting her to call police.

Anders said there was no indication the woman was harmed.

"This was him shouting at her and banging on the glass door to her office in such a manner that it alarmed and disturbed her," he said.

Huber told the Daily Herald he entered the building to find out the woman's identity and "inform her of what I'm about." He denies he shouted her name and banged on the door.

After further investigation, DuPage Associate Judge Mary E. O'Connor issued a warrant for Huber's arrest.

Police arrested him at 12:13 a.m. Feb. 11 and charged him with trespassing and disorderly conduct, both misdemeanors.

Less than an hour later, Huber posted $200 - 10 percent of his $2,000 bond - in addition to a $50 processing fee and was released.

Huber has been a fixture in downtown Naperville, living in a makeshift shelter on Chicago Avenue for more than eight years. He insists he is not homeless but a protester, speaking out against injustices by the city government.

Last fall, the city council adopted an ordinance that prohibits camping and storing private property on the public way in downtown.

Police cited Huber for violating the ordinance in November and that legal battle continues as Huber argues it is unconstitutional.

Last month, Judge George J. Sotos granted the city's request for a preliminary injunction and barred Huber from sleeping on the city sidewalk while the case proceeds.

In the meantime, he has scaled back the belongings he keeps with him and has been staying at the northeast corner of Benton Avenue and Washington Street on the edge of the downtown area defined in the camping ban. He said he moves to the train station in bad weather.

Huber is due in court March 9 for the trespassing and disorderly conduct charges and April 8 for violating the camping ordinance.