'DULF saves lives': Hundreds rally in support of Vancouver compassion club
Hundreds of supporters gathered in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside Friday to protest the arrests of two members of the Drug User Liberation Front.
DULF had been purchasing illicit drugs – such as cocaine and heroin – online, testing them, and then providing them to a group of about 50 members to take safely.
On Oct. 25, the Vancouver Police Department arrested Jeremy Kalicum and Eris Nyx, raiding their homes, as well as DULF’s downtown office.
“While DULF’s acts were intended to reduce the impacts of the toxic drug supply, we have always warned that anyone who violates the Criminal Code or the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act should expect to face enforcement and criminal charges,” said Insp. Phil Heard at a news conference the next day.
'THAT MEANS DEATHS'
On Friday, demonstrators chanted “DULF saves lives” and called on the government to implement a safe drug supply. Nearly 13,000 people have died of drug toxicity and overdoses in B.C. since a public health emergency was declared in 2016.
Nadia Revelo attended Friday’s rally and called the B.C. government’s response to the overdose crisis shameful.
“How is it possible that people continue to die because we don't have a safe supply for drugs?” she said. “I’m from Columbia. I know what it means to criminalize drugs. That means deaths, so we need to prevent that.”
13,000 DEATHS
Martin Steward with the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users denounced the raid, adding the province should re-fund the organization. Vancouver Coastal Health confirmed that on Oct. 2, the province directed it to end its contract with DULF, therefore cutting its funding.
“Give DULF back their right to do what they’re doing and to do it safely, the way they have been,” Steward said.
The raids came after weeks of pressure from the Opposition BC United for the government to investigate the activities of DULF, saying in a news release in September that it was “unacceptable that public money is being used to purchase illicit drugs” on the dark web.
On Wednesday, B.C.’s Chief Coroner Lisa Lapointe weighed in on the group’s actions during a panel that urged the provincial government to "immediately" pursue a non-prescription safe drug supply program.
“I suppose I would say that if you see somebody in a burning house, you feel somewhat justified to smash a window,” she said.
Kalicum and Nyx have yet to be charged, but Stephanie Dickson, a lawyer representing them, told CTV News that if charges are approved, they will be challenged.
“We know that the facts will show that denying access to a predictable, safe, non-toxic supply of drugs for people who depend on them violates their constitutional rights because it forces them to obtain those drugs from the street, where the potency of them is wildly unknown, wildly unpredictable, and unnecessarily at risk to their lives,” Dickson said.
With files from the Canadian Press
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Couple randomly attacked, 1 stabbed, by group of teens in Toronto, police say
A man has been transported to hospital after police say he was stabbed in a random attack carried out by a group of teens in Toronto on Friday night.
Ron Ellis, who played over 1,000 games with Maple Leafs, dead at 79
Ron Ellis, who played over 1,000 games with the Toronto Maple Leafs and was a member of Canada's team at the 1972 Summit Series, has died at age 79.
Fort Nelson, B.C., wildfire doubles in size as 3,000-plus ordered to evacuate
The wildfire that sparked Friday and caused evacuation orders for more than 3,000 people in Fort Nelson, B.C., and the nearby Fort Nelson First Nation, has grown to nearly 1,700 hectares in size, according to a Saturday morning update from the BC Wildfire Service.
Dutch contestant kicked out of Eurovision hours before tension-plagued song contest final
Hours before the final, Dutch contestant Joost Klein was dramatically booted out by organizers over a backstage incident. He had failed to perform at two dress rehearsals on Friday, and contest organizer the European Broadcasting Union said it was investigating an "incident."
IN PICTURES Northern lights dance across the night sky in southern Ont.
From London, to Grand Bend, Collingwood and Guelph, here are some highlights of Friday night and Saturday morning's northern lights display.
Haitians demand the resignation and arrest of the country's police chief after a new gang attack
A growing number of civilians and police officers are demanding the dismissal and arrest of Haiti's police chief as heavily armed gangs launched a new attack in the capital of Port-au-Prince, seizing control of yet another police station early Saturday.
opinion How to use your credit card as a powerful wealth-building tool
Irresponsibly using a credit card can land you in financial trouble, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew says when used properly, it can be a powerful wealth-building tool that can help grow your credit profile and create new opportunities.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
'I am angry': Alberta farmers will continue fight over world class motorsport resort
The rolling hills leading to the hamlet of Rosebud are dotted with sprawling farms and cattle pastures -- and a sign sporting a simple message: No Race Track.