City of Vancouver pauses decampment of East Hastings Street

The City of Vancouver has decided to pause the removal of structures in the Downtown Eastside after tensions boiled over Tuesday afternoon.

In a statement to CityNews, the city says that staff have paused the removal work Wednesday, and will “focus on informing community members of storage options.”

The decision comes after multiple arrests were made by the Vancouver Police Department after a man was initially arrested outside the Carnegie Community Centre on the corner of Main Street and East Hastings Street around 3 p.m. Tuesday after city staff had stopped working for the day.

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“The goal of this work is not to displace people, but rather to comply with the Fire Chief’s order to remove structures which pose a fire risk to neighbours and buildings. This is a very challenging situation, and I want to thank all city personnel for their careful and compassionate work,” the city said.

According to the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users (VANDU), a man had a confrontation with security at Carnegie, and up to ten officers responded by arresting the man, tying him up, and putting him in the back of a police van.

Speaking to CityNews on Tuesday, Vince Tao with VANDU says a woman then threw her coat at police, who arrested her, further upsetting the crowd which had gathered on the street.

The city says carts and bins have been provided for people to pack their belongings. Photos posted to social media show that city-issued residential garbage bins are the receptacles being offered to people.

On July 25, Vancouver’s fire chief issued an order for the immediate removal of the structures within three days. The deadline was initially extended to Aug. 3, only to be again postponed another week.

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At the time, Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services admitted that the deadline would likely not be met. However, members stressed the importance of access to windows and doors in the event of an emergency.

VPD Const. Tania Visintin told CityNews in a statement that bystanders “interfered while VPD officers were in the lawful execution of their duties, apprehending a person who was being violent and throwing large objects inside the Carnegie Centre yesterday just before 3 p.m.”

“Our officers were assaulted again for trying to do their jobs and keeping people safe,” she wrote.

Clarifying that the arrest yesterday was not connected to the decampment by the city, Visintin said that “for media and the public to suggest otherwise is irresponsible and disingenuous.”

Visintin says Vancouver police is not removing tents or structures or telling people to move. “This was a Fire Department Order,” she wrote.

“The Vancouver Police Department’s role is public safety. We will continue to do everything we can to help prevent violent crime in the Downtown Eastside and hold violent offenders accountable.

“Solutions to the housing crisis, poverty, drug addiction and the underlying issues in that neighbourhood will have to come from levels of government responsible for the issues,” she said.

The City of Vancouver has not confirmed when it plans to restart decampment of East Hastings Street.