Strathcona tent city residents protest calls to dismantle Vancouver camp

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – Not everyone is in support of residents who are rallying for governments to address a homeless camp in Vancouver’s Strathcona neighbourhood.

People living at the tent city and their supporters looked on as dozens of protesters took to Prior Street Tuesday morning, saying demonstrators were calling on government to “immediately dismantle the encampment,” despite organizers saying they were instead pushing for sustainable housing solutions.

In a statement, the residents of the “Kennedy Trudeau” tent city at Strathcona Park say homeowners are “trying to disguise their hatred and disdain for the poor by talking about health and safety,” and that the goal is to get them displaced again.

Supporters of the Strathcona Park tent city sent out a statement this morning…saying the neighbourhood protest does NOT represent the unhoused @CityNewsVAN @NEWS1130 @BT_Vancouver

— Miranda Fatur (@MirandaFatur) September 29, 2020

“…they are counterposing the health and safety of ‘children and seniors’ to un(der)housed people,” the statement reads. “Don’t be fooled. No matter how mushily they frame their demands, the Strathcona property defenders are demanding that the government get a better handle on containing the consequences of poverty so that property and business owners do not feel its negative impacts.”

Chris May, who helped put together the rally calling for housing solutions for the homeless, says there’s plenty of compassion among people living in the neighbourhood, and that the people taking part in the rally just want to see those in the tent city helped.

“It is not, ‘Get those people out of our park.’ It is not about that. It is about trying to get the politicians, trying to get Kennedy Stewart and the councillors, and provincial MLAs to do something. And then on the federal side of things, to get them to fund it,” he told NEWS 1130.

Prior St. Protest had attracted dozens to Strathcona Park, demanding action on homelessness as some residents of the tent city look on. pic.twitter.com/70FD73amcJ

— Mike Lloyd (@llikemoyd) September 29, 2020

Many neighbourhood residents have expressed their frustration with crime, health, and safety issues that have been associated with the tent city.

Sign carrying protesters were getting plenty of honks of support from passing commuters while they were out on Tuesday.