Police, park ranger allegedly attacked during tent removal at Vancouver's CRAB Park

A line of police officers are seen in Vancouver's CRAB Park on Nov. 15, 2023, as park rangers were preparing to dismantle tents. (Stop the Sweep)

Two people were arrested in Vancouver's CRAB Park Wednesday morning for allegedly assaulting police officers and a park ranger who were there to dismantle tents at a homeless encampment.

Vancouver police were deployed to maintain peace while park rangers cleared out tents from parts of CRAB Park that aren’t protected by a 2022 B.C. Supreme Court decision that upheld the rights of campers to remain in a designated area 24 hours a day. 

Under local bylaws, most homeless campers in the city must pack up their tents in the morning after sleeping overnight.

According to the Vancouver Police Department, a man in one of the tents became hostile and used a tent pole as a weapon to assault two officers. While that man was being arrested, police say a woman from the encampment attacked an officer.

"As a result of that incident, there were two arrests made and two assaults occurred," said Sgt. Steve Addison. "We know that when city workers or park workers are in the park, sometimes it becomes volatile."

One park ranger was also injured, and the Vancouver Park Board said crews will return to the south side of CRAB Park daily to ensure campers comply with the bylaw.

On social media, the group Stop the Sweeps – organized in opposition to the removal of homeless people’s belongings when authorities are clearing streets and camps – identified the two people arrested as “unhoused Indigenous people.” The third person involved in the confrontation was a legal observer, according to the group.

“Residents in the tent had agreed they would take their tent down and asked for space to do so. Legal observers echoed these requests trying to deescalate,” the group wrote. “These requests were met by lead Park Ranger giving residents a 60-second countdown for the tent to be taken down.”

Stop the Sweeps alleged that crews then began tearing down a tent while two people were inside.

The city began increasing enforcement at CRAB Park last week, a move that has drawn criticism from homeless advocates, who have questioned the decision to begin removing tents at a time of year when the weather is getting colder and wetter.

According to advocates, park rangers had previously been visiting CRAB Park about once per month, mostly to help with general cleanup, and to remove tents that had become damaged and were no longer in use.

Court decisions have upheld the Charter rights of homeless people to camp overnight in public when there isn’t suitable housing available.

Provincial officials have said there's been too much uncertainty around what that means in practice, and earlier this month announced legislative amendments that would define the shelter cities must offer before tearing down encampments as a staffed facility where someone can stay overnight and access a bathroom, shower and meal “either at, or nearby” the building.

The government amendments have caused controversy among advocates who argue the definition does not guarantee safety, cleanliness or a place for homeless people to keep their belongings.