A group of protesters, frustrated with the way regulations at a city-maintained encampment for people experiencing homelessness are enforced, marched from Tent City to bylaw offices on Friday, March 7.
The protest, organized by members of the Unhoused Solidarity Collective Okanagan (USCO), comes a two days after several individuals took a stand against daily bylaw 鈥渃heck-ins鈥� at 麻豆精选's city-maintained and operated encampment called Tent City.
At about 10:30 a.m. on March 7, more than 15 people marched from Tent City to 麻豆精选's bylaw office on Ellis Street to speak with bylaw services manager Nick Bonnett. They entered the office and read a statement to Bonnett and asked to have a meeting to regards to the situation. Bonnett stood and listened to the prepared statement, told the group he would get back in touch with them to set up a meeting, and asked them to leave. The group argued, asking for a meeting there in that moment and also argued that because bylaw services is at Tent City everyday, why can't they meet and have a conversation right away.
"I'm not going to commit to a conversation with you in this moment," said Bonnett.
About 20 minutes after the group left the bylaw office, Black Press Media asked for a comment from Bonnett, who declined at this time. He said he had to collect his thoughts and was going to talk with the City of 麻豆精选's media relations manager Tom Wilson. The city plans to release a statement.
During the walk from Tent City to the bylaw office and the protesting group held signs shouting, "protest people, not property," and "stop the sweeps."
Tony Baxter, a member of the USCO and someone who has worked as an outreach worker and for multiple non-profits in town doesn't live at Tent City but supports them and was there acting in solidarity.
"For years I have been building relationships with people experiencing homelessness in 麻豆精选 and have witnessed time and again for years now bylaw officers violently displacing unhoused people from the places they are trying to call home," said Baxter.
When asked about using the word "violently" to describe bylaw officers, Baxter said "we should keep in mind that homelessness is violent to begin with."
"Being outside is violent," added Baxter. "Now municipalities, if they were to uphold international law, they would be housing people. Instead of that, what the City of 麻豆精选 has been allocating money towards is more RCMP officers every year and more bylaw officers every year with the explicit plan to mitigate disorder relating to homelessness. In practice, what this means is bylaw officers going through Tent City every single day of the week taking peoples belongings, tearing down peoples tents, and if people are uncooperative, because they're entering into their homes, often times illegally, they phone the RCMP and will often times arrest people. This is what I mean by violence."
Baxter said bylaw should follow the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms "because a lot of their bylaws explicitly undermine those and there's no over-site to follow international law."
On March 5, bylaw officers intended to remove what they have deemed an unoccupied shelter from Tent City during a routine morning check-in for guideline compliance. Upon arrival, the officers were met by more than a dozen protesters standing hand-in-hand, protecting the shelter.
On that Wednesday, Bonnett said the bylaw officers had been given permission to remove the tent from its former owner but the protesters protecting the shelter allege that the shelter was still in use.
When asked about that on Friday, Baxter called it "an out-right lie." He added that bylaw officers served eviction notices to everyone living in Zone 1 of Tent City, which stated that people did not vacate the zone with all their belongings by Monday, March 3, they would confiscate it all.
Bylaw services conduct routine maintenance at Tent City every morning to ensure the individuals who live at Tent City conform to the city's guidelines. The guidelines are also posted throughout Tent City.
According to city bylaw, people experiencing unsheltered homelessness are only permitted to erect shelters at Tent City. Further, the shelters at the encampment must be temporary in nature and abide by fire-safe protocols.
Tent City residents told Black Press that they are growing tired of the daily check-ins as they believe their belongings are being stolen or unjustly taken if left unoccupied.
According to Tent City resident Adam Hillner, bylaw comes every day and 鈥渉arasses everybody and takes their belongings, all of it, their tent and all, and were tired of them taking everything.鈥� Hillner also spoke to media on Friday.
In an effort to find a solution for better communication between Tent City residents and bylaw officers, Hillner and others organized a protest group to have their concerns heard. On Wednesday, Hillner told Black Press Media all they want is to have a conversation with Bonnett. On Friday, Baxter echoed that same statement.
"The other thing that we want is simply for bylaw to come and talk with Tent City residents," said Baxter, who added there's "hundreds and hundreds of stories of violence."
Baxter said on top of having a conversation, they have demands they would like met.
"Ultimately, we want the violence to stop." said Baxter.
There is no current criminal investigation into the allegations made against bylaw.
Bylaw's statement
At 2:44 p.m. on Friday, the City of 麻豆精选 and bylaw services addressed the accusations by protesters regarding violence at Tent City.
In an emailed statement, the city said claims of destroying and stealing possessions are untrue.
鈥淲hen we must remove material, it is always according to our bylaws and policies and is done with compassion and care,鈥� said the city.
The city is denying allegations that residents of Tent City are being forced from their structures.
鈥淎s people have been leaving the site voluntarily, spots have opened up and bylaws have been asking people to move from Zone 1 into the other open spaces,鈥� said the city.
The city maintains that bylaw services have not contributed to any violence.
Protesters at bylaw offices, on Friday, had hurled accusations that officers' work causes deaths at Tent City, however, the City of 麻豆精选 stated that is 鈥渦ntrue and hurtful.鈥�
City staff will review the concerns raised by the group that visited the Ellis Street offices on March 7 and will connect with them next week.
There are currently no criminal charges stemming from the accusations by the protesters of violence on the part of bylaw officers who do daily check-ins at Tent City.
USCO responds, gives deadline
Just over an hour and a half later, the USCO responded with their own statement about Friday's event that they sent to the media, voicing their displeasure.
In the e-mail, USCO doubled down, saying "illegal eviction notices were served to multiple tents in Zone 1 the week before, ordering them to leave the area by March 3rd." According to the organization, this is part of a larger plan.
"These proposed evictions are part of a larger plan to close Zone 1 entirely, forcing more people into the already congested area further along the rail trail or into 麻豆精选鈥檚 downtown core," reads the statement. "This slow push has been happening for weeks, with city workers fencing off areas once they have been cleared of people鈥檚 homes."
Additionally, USCO claims that on Wednesday, bylaw officer Danny Hogan stated at Tent City that the plans to evict residents from Zone 1 is mostly due to 鈥渇ire safety concerns." USCO stated that Zone 1 has had "fewer and less severe fires" out of the four zones in the past year.
"Ripping up gardens, destroying homes, and stealing belongings are part of a larger campaign to defame and discredit unhoused residents," the statement continues. "Such tactics are violent and oppressive and further entrench people into homelessness, deny citizens opportunities for self-sufficiency, and keep them trapped in a constant state of crisis."
Lastly, USCO believes the way "bylaw currently operates is not working."
"We request an open dialogue with the City of 麻豆精选 Bylaw Services in an official capacity to hear our demands and create solutions that uphold the inherent dignity and respect of every individual living at Tent City."
None of these allegations of violent claims have been proven.
The USCO has given bylaw until 4 p.m. on Monday, March 10 to respond to their meeting request.
