A woman in Michigan, known as the “rooftop ninja,” was discovered living inside the signage of a popular grocery store, the Family Fare Supermarket in Midland. Contractors working on the roof found an extension cord leading to the secret living space furnished with a mini desk, flooring, a pantry of food, and a houseplant. When police officers were called to remove the woman, she was advised to find another place to live, but she declined all offered resources, including housing assistance.
The woman, aged 34, did not work for the supermarket but had a job and was believed to have access to a car. It remains a mystery how she managed to stay undetected on the rooftop for an entire year before being discovered by the contractors. Despite being trespassed from the store, the supermarket management agreed to remove the furniture from the roof and return it to the woman. No criminal charges have been filed against her, although her unconventional living situation shocked many, including law enforcement.
Family Fare operates nearly 100 stores in seven states in the Midwest, with the majority located in Michigan. The incident with the “rooftop ninja” is a highly unusual case of squatting, where an individual takes up residence in a space without the owner’s permission. In another recent incident, professional squatters occupied one of Gordon Ramsay’s London restaurants as a form of protest against gentrification and the country’s high-speed railway, H2S.
Members of the Camden Art Cafe occupied Gordon Ramsay’s York & Albany gastropub as a protest against social issues. Despite a court order for them to leave, remaining squatters refused to vacate until locksmiths and bailiffs removed them from the building. The incident with the “rooftop ninja” and the professional squatters in Gordon Ramsay’s restaurant highlight the growing issue of unconventional living situations and protests against social and economic injustices. While some may view squatting as a form of civil disobedience, it raises legal and ethical questions about property rights and personal space.