BELLINGHAM, Wash. — Whatcom County District Court was temporarily closed Thurs due to efforts to clean up the homeless encampment at City Hall and the Central Library and will be closed again Friday.

Presiding Judge David Grant issued the order closing the court, saying that a civil disturbance in the area outside and adjacent to the courthouse posed a threat to the safety and welfare of those accessing the court.

Grant issued another order announcing that the court would be closed Friday as well, and won’t reopen under normal operating hours until Monday, February 1.

All matters scheduled to appear Thursday and Friday will be rescheduled and the parties involved notified.

Whatcom County Executive Satpal Sidhu yesterday also announced the closures of of several other County buildings in Bellingham through Friday as the cleanup continues.

The list includes the Public Safety Building Administrative Offices on Prospect, the Civic Center Building on Commercial, the Public Defender’s Building on Central Avenue, and the Health Offices on Girard Street.