City: 570 structures removed from DTES encampment since August, tensions rising
Protesters held a sign reading “no displacement” and “eviction kills” on Friday, as Vancouver police and city staff continued work to clear a tent city growing in the Downtown Eastside.
Around noon, the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users posted photos on Twitter showing a heavy police presence at Gore and Hastings Street.
Members of Car 87—a municipal program that pairs a psychiatric nurse with a plain clothes police officer to attend non-emergency mental health calls—also responded to the scene, according to the tweet.
“One resident has refused to vacate his home,” VANDU said.
Less than two hours later, the group wrote online that its “decampment team” had moved down to Hastings and Columbia streets, where another eviction was underway.
The group also posted photos of items allegedly discarded by city staff—including fire extinguishers.
In an email to CTV News, the city said it intends to bring the East Hastings encampment to an eventual closure—as the fire chief ordered for last summer.
“At the request of the City, the VPD is present to assist our crews in ensuring their safety as they continue work,” the email reads.
“There has been a noticeable increase in violence and tension associated with the encampment zone,” the city said. “While there are people in the encampment who are vulnerable and without housing, many others are not there for shelter alone and are there engaging in commercial and/or illicit activities.”
In addition to public safety being at risk, the city says its engineering crews are “encountering increased aggression” as they conduct cleaning and by-law enforcement.
HUNDRED OF STRUCTURES REMOVED SO FAR
According to the city, a total of 570 structures have been removed from the area since August, when the encampment reached its height of 180 items.
Earlier this month, a spokesperson told CTV News that the number was down to 74.
A variety of options for shelter, housing, and storage are being made available to people living in the encampment, the city said in its statement.
“The work is critical in terms of addressing life safety risk and returning the street to diverse activities,” it concluded.
Since Vancouver Fire Chief Karen Fry ordered for the removal of tents and structures on East Hastings, she says her crews have responded to at least 370 structure fires in the area.
On Sunday, multiple tents were destroyed near Main and Hastings streets in a blaze that spread to a building before being extinguished. The next day, VFRS wrote on Twitter that another small tent fire had erupted directly across the street.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Terrifying': Manitoba resident speaks on wildfire and evacuation
As a pair of wildfires burn near Flin Flon and The Pas, a number of Manitobans are being told to evacuate their homes.
Canucks' Zadorov fined $5,000 for post-game crosscheck on Oilers' McDavid
A Vancouver Canucks defenceman has been given the highest possible fine under the NHL's collective bargaining agreement after a scrum broke out at the end of Game 3 against the Edmonton Oilers Sunday night.
Steve Buscemi punched in the face while walking in N.Y.C.
Hollywood actor Steve Buscemi has been treated for injuries after being punched in the face while walking in New York City.
DEVELOPING Michael Cohen takes the stand as testimony in Trump hush money case enters 4th week
The star prosecution witness in Donald Trump's hush money trial is set to take the stand Monday with testimony that could help shape the outcome of the first criminal case against an American president.
Air quality advisories issued in 5 provinces, 1 territory
Air quality advisories are in effect across Western Canada as smoky conditions plague some areas, according to the latest forecasts. Here's where.
Jerry Seinfeld speech prompts pro-Palestinian demonstration at U.S. university graduation ceremony
A tiny contingent of Duke University graduates opposed pro-Israel comedian Jerry Seinfeld speaking at their commencement in North Carolina Sunday, with about 30 of the 7,000 students leaving their seats and chanting "free Palestine" amid a mix of boos and cheers.
Just how bad are ultraprocessed foods? Here are 5 things to know
Many foods fall under the category of ultraprocessed foods, depending on their exact ingredients. This type of food has been studied a lot lately, and the results aren’t great.
No refund for travellers who cancelled flight already scrapped by airline: regulator
Four years on, the controversy over whether airlines owed refunds to passengers after cancelling hundreds of thousands of flights during the pandemic continues to simmer, aggravated by a sluggish, opaque complaints process.
opinion Harry and Meghan's Nigerian adventure: Traditional attire to warm welcomes
For her latest column on CTVNews.ca, royal commentator Afua Hagan writes about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's recent visit to Nigeria, calling it a 'deeply meaningful campaign' that was about aligning their ongoing efforts to foster mental-health awareness and promoting the Invictus Games.