Woman charged for assaulting police officer during DTES tent removal
Vancouver police say a woman has been charged for assaulting an officer near the tent encampment on East Hastings Street Tuesday, and several other people are under investigation.
The charge of assault with a weapon against 44-year-old Alene West stems from an altercation between police and members of the public during the city's attempts to remove tents from the street.
The Vancouver Police Department says officers were called to the area of Main and Hastings streets by staff at the Carnegie Centre, who reported that a man was behaving violently inside.
The VPD says officers were present – but not involved in – the tent removal efforts. While they were responding to the Carnegie Centre call, according to police, officers were "surrounded and assaulted" by a crowd that had gathered to observe the tent removal.
Seven people were arrested, including three who were "temporarily detained at jail for breaching the peace," police said. Three others – including the alleged perpetrator of the Carnegie Centre violence – are expected to appear in court at a later date, according to the VPD.
Last month, Vancouver's fire chief ordered the dismantling of the tent city set up on sidewalks on Hastings Street between Gore Avenue and Abbott Street, saying the move was necessary to avoid a potentially devastating situation if a fire were to break out.
Efforts to remove the tents were delayed while the city sought a solution to allow tent city residents to store their belongings, but began in earnest this week.
The city has said it expects the enforcement of the fire chief's order to take weeks, and BC Housing says it has told the city it does not have "large numbers of new spaces" available on short notice for the people who have been living in the tents.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NDP motion regarding Palestinian statehood passes after major Liberal alterations
A motion from the federal New Democrats initially calling on Canada to recognize the 'State of Palestine' passed amid widespread acrimony on Monday, after the Liberals drastically altered its wording to see the government simply work towards that aim as part of a two-state solution.
'He didn't want to die': Family of Calgary man killed in standoff speaks out
Family of a Calgary man killed after a 30-hour standoff with police last week are speaking out, sharing details of the tense and heart-wrenching experience.
Toronto family doctor who called patient's body 'perfect' suspended for 3 months: tribunal
A family doctor in Toronto has been suspended for three months after a disciplinary tribunal found that he failed to follow proper protocols while examining a patient's breasts and made inappropriate comments about her body.
Ohio mom who left toddler alone 10 days when she went on vacation pleads guilty to aggravated murder
An Ohio mother whose 16-month-old daughter died after being left home alone in a playpen for 10 days last summer while she went on vacation was sentenced Monday to life in prison with no chance of parole.
Retired teacher pleads guilty to paying for sex with 15-year-old in Collingwood, Ont.
In a Barrie courtroom on Monday, a retired high school teacher from the Niagara Region pleaded guilty to sexual touching and obtaining sexual services from a 15-year-old boy in Collingwood in 2021.
Hertz CEO out following electric car 'horror show'
The company, which announced in January it was selling 20,000 of the electric vehicles in its fleet, or about a third of the EVs it owned, is now replacing the CEO who helped build up that fleet, giving it the company’s fifth boss in just four years.
5 charged in Calgary kidnappings that targeted women
Calgary police have charged five men in a pair of kidnappings last year that targeted innocent victims.
Demand soars for solar eclipse glasses in Canada. Are they worth buying?
The demand for total solar eclipse glasses used to safely view the rare celestial event has been ramping up as sellers, along with astronomy and eye-care experts in Canada, warn that viewing the eclipse with the naked eye is dangerous.
Canadian commander of volunteer fighter group dies in Ukraine
A Canadian-born commander of the so-called Norman Brigade, a volunteer fighting group in Ukraine, has died.