There was a heavy RCMP and metropolis bylaw presence at Kelowna, B.C.’s tent city Wednesday morning as residents sheltering on web site woke as much as some main adjustments.
“We awakened and the fence was round us, all the way in which across the entirety of this place,” mentioned tent metropolis resident Blake Mercury.
Town conducts a deep clear of the encampment each spring, however this operation is not like another and it caught the roughly 90 individuals there off guard.
“We have been actually given no discover,” mentioned Mercury.
Along with the fencing, the adjustments additionally embody 24-7 on-site safety and a stamp system, which would require tent metropolis residents to indicate their stamp to re-enter the location.
“It’s a bit tousled in the event you ask me. It’s improper,” Mercury mentioned. “Visiting pals and individuals who wish to carry meals and different donations even have actual causes to be right here and they’re now shut out so they’re principally reducing us off from the remainder of town”
Town held a information convention because the clear=up operation received underway, saying the improved measures are essential for everybody’s security.
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“We’ve got heard from these staying on the web site and in addition from those that have refused to remain on the web site from throughout town that they haven’t felt protected at instances attributable to exterior felony exercise and different on-site dynamics, together with violence between web site customers,” mentioned Kevin Mead, bylaw providers supervisor for the Metropolis of Kelowna.
Tensions between bylaw officers and tent metropolis residents have elevated in current weeks.
Wednesday’s web site clean-up additional escalated feelings as a number of arrests have been made.
In keeping with police, one arrest concerned an alleged assault on a bylaw officer, whereas the opposite concerned an individual uttering threats.
No less than one resident’s canine was seen taken away.
Mead mentioned not one of the residents are being displaced however a few of the tents are being dismantled.
“There are some huge buildings which might be on the market and it’s 100 per cent unsafe for first responders to get in there,’ Mead mentioned.
It’s not precisely identified when the fencing will come down.
Town wouldn’t present a timeline apart from to say it will likely be re-assessed within the weeks and months forward.
The clean-up itself is anticipated to final one week.
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