Vancouver Police Board dismisses exclusion zone complaint from provincial watchdog

The Vancouver Police Board has dismissed a complaint alleging the Vancouver Police Department created an exclusion zone during the dismantling of numerous encampments along East Hastings Street.

In April, the City of Vancouver, with the support of the VPD, removed tents and personal belongings along East Hastings street. The city said it had been working daily to address fire, life and safety concerns identified in an order issued by fire Chief Karen Fry in July of last year. 

On Thursday, the Vancouver Police Board reviewed a complaint that was submitted to the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner on April 5, the day of the decampment.

The complaint was submitted by a member of the public and said, in part, that preventing journalists from accessing the blocks-long stretch of the city street was "an infringement upon journalistic freedom and freedom of press, a constitutionally protected right in Canada."

In a letter to the board, OPCC commissioner Clayton Pecknold wrote, “after review of the concerns raised in the complaint and the public statement of the VPD, it appears that an exclusion zone was created by the VPD for the purpose of excluding the public and the media from a specific section of the city for defined period of time. It is unclear what lawful authority was relied upon in the creation and enforcement of this exclusion zone.”

At Thursday’s meeting, the police board heard the VPD’s report, which stated there was no exclusion zone.

“There wasn’t an exclusion zone. It’s that simple,” VPD Chief Adam Palmer said. “I think when people think of exclusion zones they’re thinking Fairy Creek, things like that. That’s not what we had in Vancouver. It’s not the same situation.”

Vancouver reporter Jen St. Denis was working that day and posted to the platform X, formerly known as Twitter, that she was barred from accessing the street and had to enter through an alley instead.

Board chair, Faye Wightman, said no journalists were interviewed during the VPD’s report of what happened April 5. Wightman added that the board is comfortable with the response it received.

“It’s dismissed,” she said.