HEAVY HAND OF THE STATE
Protesters arrested as Halifax police clear shelters from city land
Dozens of tents and some wooden shelters were removed Wednesday
Multiple people have been arrested as Halifax municipal staff and police cleared dozens of tents and shelters from encampments Wednesday morning, with officers physically moving back protesters from at least one downtown site.
Just before 10 a.m. local time, videos on social media from various journalists showed tense moments between Halifax police and protesters who were supporting people who were being evicted at the old Spring Garden Road library site
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Police forcibly moved back a group of protesters before a heavy piece of machinery was brought in to haul one shelter away. People linked arms and stood behind the police officers to block the machine's pathway to the street.
Police then arrested and handcuffed at least five people, placing them on the ground by the library.
A second shelter remained, with a protester sitting on the roof surrounded by a ring of police officers. He refused to leave when an officer climbed a ladder to speak with him.
The crowd, which shouted at police, grew to nearly 200 people around the one remaining shelter by Wednesday afternoon.
Provincial NDP Leader Gary Burrill also appeared at the protest in support of those being forced out.
Some Halifax police officers appeared to have removed their name tags from their uniforms.
Police were also seen directing journalists to move away from the area as the journalists filmed the evictions.
The Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ) tweeted that they were "concerned about the limits police are placing on reporters covering the dismantling of these shelters," and emphasized that reporters have the right to be there.
The removals come a month after similar controversial evictions of tent camps in Toronto parks by police.
By the early afternoon, dry patches of grass dotted Halifax parks and the Common where tents once sat.
In the city's west end, at Horseshoe Island Park on the Northwest Arm, Matthew Smith said he was awoken at 6 a.m. by a group of about 20 police and city bylaw officers. He has been living in a tent for the past two weeks with his girlfriend and their cat.
He said they told him he and anyone else in nearby tents had to leave the area within an hour.
"They said if I didn't pack up my stuff they would physically confiscate my stuff, confiscate my animal, and arrest me and take me to jail," Smith said.
Smith said he and others were ticketed $237 for breaking the bylaw.
"Which, obviously no one can pay, because we're living in a park," he said.
Smith said they were told that the city would store belongings for free. He said he didn't want to hand anything over and give them "the chance to just take everything."
"We really don't have anywhere to go," Smith said.
He said a woman living next to the tent encampment had brought food every night and had left a note offering to help when everyone was evicted.
He said his plan is to move to another park further from public view, but predicts the same scene will likely repeat in a couple of weeks.
Smith said he wasn't offered any temporary housing options on Wednesday. "When it comes to housing there's just nothing available," he said.
Smith said he works 60 hours a week, but still can't afford rent in Halifax and is his family's sole earner. "Someone needs to do something," he said.
Premier-designate Tim Houston, whose PC Party won a majority government Tuesday by defeating the governing Liberals, said during a news conference Wednesday that the housing crisis is "very real" in the province and did not develop overnight.
"We didn't have tent cities eight years ago in this province. We have them now, so we need real solutions for housing," he said. "We're going to work with people to make sure that people can access housing."
He added that the PC Party's transition team will be looking closely at the briefing notes around homelessness and housing in general to understand all angles of the situation.
The PC election platform included affordable housing. Part of the plan includes selling or leasing public land for developers to build on, with the caveat that a portion has to be affordable housing.
The PCs also suggested new taxes for non-resident property owners, which is the proposal that takes up the bulk of their housing plan.
The Tories have also said they will not extend rent control beyond the COVID-19 state of emergency. Houston repeated that stance on Wednesday morning and said increasing the housing stock is a better approach.
Houston said he would also respect the recent findings from the Nova Scotia Affordable Housing Commission's report.
At the Peace and Friendship Park on Hollis Street, Thomas Johnstone and Kaileigh Bruce said they were awoken around 6 a.m. by others pointing out that a large group of police had arrived.
They have been staying in the park for the past two months, and also said the lack of housing in the area is why they've been living in a tent.
Bruce said others expect everyone to have a job, and a "nice life" with two kids and a car, when in reality not everybody can find work, or is ready for that step.
"I could go get a job, but I'm not ready because I'm constantly moving places because I'm constantly getting kicked out of my home," Bruce said.
The city delivered about 40 notices to people living in tents across the municipality on Monday, according to a statement from city spokesperson Laura Wright.
The notice stated people living on municipal land were violating a bylaw, and they must vacate and remove all belongings from municipal property immediately.
Photos from the Halifax Mutual Aid group, which has provided wooden "crisis structures" for some people that sat alongside the tents in some areas, showed notices taped to the sides of tents.
On Wednesday morning, a release from Halifax Regional Municipality said municipal compliance officers are "following up" with tent occupants to aid the safe removal of tents from municipal parks.
Staff from the parks and recreation department and Halifax police are assisting "with removal efforts if required," the release said.
"The situation at a number of parks, due to the recent proliferation of tents, has created an increased risk to the health and safety of both the tent occupants and the public, and must be addressed," the statement said.
The municipality said it has received numerous reports from residents about the tents, including public nuisance complaints and concerns for public safety.
Last month, similar notices appeared on crisis shelters around the city, saying that after July 13, city officials would remove the shelters and anything in them.
But when the deadline arrived, Mayor Mike Savage said the deadline was a preferred "timeline" and no forced evictions would go ahead.
"I'm not going to force a deadline and say if people aren't out by this point in time then they're going to be forcibly removed. That's not my intent," Savage said July 13.
"We're not intending to have any kind of a confrontation over this. We don't want to criminalize homelessness. We just want to find a solution that's safe for everybody."
Ardath Whynacht, volunteer spokesperson for Halifax Mutual Aid, said the group was "very surprised" by the evictions Wednesday in light ot Savage's comments last month.
She pointed to the evictions coming on the morning after a provincial election, and suggested the city planned to act at that time to avoid media and public attention.
Moving people out of public areas doesn't solve homelessness, Whynacht said, and only shifts them into more dangerous areas.
"This is a life-and-death crisis, especially during summer heat," Whynacht said.
The municipality has said it is making sure those using the wooden shelters and tents work with street navigators, the provincial Department of Community Services and support workers to find a housing option that works for them.
Wright said that since July 1, about five former occupants have accepted a housing option.
One of those options could be a local hotel, but 10 community groups have denounced the city's "heavy-handed" approach and noted hotels are not appropriate for everyone.
Halifax police use force, make arrests, as dismantled temporary shelters torn down
Halifax Regional Police officers were dismantling tents and temporary shelters and telling occupants to immediately vacate an encampment near the old Spring Garden Road Memorial Library early Wednesday.
Police were met with anger from a large group of people in the area, with several people later arrested after a protective wall was formed in front of the crisis shelters. The people could be heard telling police that the occupants had no other housing options.
Police officers eventually forcibly moved the wall of people, and could be heard telling them that contractors had been ordered to remove the shelters.
The number of arrests appeared to be higher than 10.
Officers were waiting outside each of the temporary crisis shelters and tents until the occupants left Wednesday morning. Most occupants were still sleeping.
One remaining shelter remained at the old library site during the noon hour Wednesday. Police circled the structure, which saw someone sitting on top, and with growing crowd gathering nearby.
More than 10 officers stood by as several youths tore down their tents at Peace and Friendship Park in Halifax also on Wednesday. One of the older occupants, whom Global News was told is also a military veteran, said he was “yanked” out of his tent when officers first arrived.
READ MORE: Unhoused man living in woods says crisis shelters needed throughout HRM
Another 22-year-old occupant, who goes by the name Thomas, was issued a $237.50 ticket at 7:30 a.m. by police officers for “camping in parks without permission.”
He said he was issued this ticket despite willingly gathering his belongings and vacating his tent.
Global News reporter Alexa MacLean took footage of the protest and police from the steps of the old Spring Garden Road Memorial Library, but was told by police that if she and other reporters moved off those steps they would be arrested for obstruction.
Halifax Regional Municipality trucks and staff have also arrived to load up occupants’ belongings. Many occupants say they have nowhere to put their belongings, so had to leave them behind.
HRM said the situation at a number of parks due to these tents has “created an increased risk to the health and safety of both the tent occupants and the public, and must be addressed.”
The municipality said it has received many reports from residents, including public nuisance complaints and concerns for public safety.
“In light of this, steps were taken earlier this week to provide tent occupants with written notice to vacate and remove all belongings from the municipal property immediately,” HRM said.
“The municipality is hopeful that occupants of homeless encampments will voluntarily vacate and remove their belongings from the parks,” it added.
As of Wednesday morning, HRM said it is following up with tent occupants “to aid the safe removal of tents from municipal parks.”
Halifax police arrest protesters while
Sarah Plowman Video Journalist
Samantha Long CTVNewsAtlantic.ca writer
Published Wednesday, August 18, 2021
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Halifax City Hall was met with protests Wednesday as staff and police began to remove homeless shelters in the city.
HALIFAX -- Police and city staff in Halifax were met with protests as they began removing several temporary homeless shelters Wednesday morning.
In a statement, the city said compliance officers, as well as police officers, will begin enforcing the removal of tents from public parks due to the "increased risk to the health and safety of both the tent occupants and the public."
"The municipality has received numerous reports from residents including public nuisance complaints and concerns for public safety," says the release.
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But protests broke out shortly after police and city staff began removing the shelters.
People on site against the action strongly disagreed, leading to several arrests.
The city says it began giving out written notices to tent occupants earlier this week, stating that they must vacate and remove all belongings from municipal property immediately.
Officials say the removal of the shelters comes after both the city and province have offered support, services, education, and warnings for several months.
"The municipality has worked with the Province of Nova Scotia as well as community-based partners including the Street Outreach Navigators and housing support workers, to offer those experiencing homelessness with support – including a range of housing options and/or temporary accommodation," says the statement.
"The province continues to work to secure temporary accommodation options that can bridge to permanent housing. Temporary accommodation options – including hotel stays and shelter beds – are being made available to occupants of encampments located on municipal property.
In a statement issued early Wednesday morning, the city said compliance officers, as well as police officers, will begin enforcing the removal of tents from public parks due to the "increased risk to the health and safety of both the tent occupants and the public." (Photo courtesy: Sarah Plowman/CTV)
