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The Homeless Plan in Action - APC Squats Another Building
Contributed by kara on Wed, 2006-11-01 16:52.
In sections:
On October 31st the Anti-Poverty Committee and supporters took an empty city-owned building near City Hall and stated that it will be turned into women's emergency housing.
About 150 people gathered today on the lawns of City Hall, ready to occupy the city chambers and demand the city council buy a hotel and convert it to social housing, instead we took housing into our own hands and opened up a building set to be demolished by the city. APC was set to open the building as women's emergency sheltar.
The building at Cambie and Broadway is a heritage building built in the 1920s to house women workers. The building is to be demolished to make way for the RAV/Canada Line City Hall Station. The former tenants were evicted in the last year after the city voted against the recommendation to preserve the building.
The police are presently treating the situation as an occupation and are not allowing anyone to enter the building. They are blocking the doors and there were around twenty of our comrades inside. Some supplies have reached the squatters however, the police are not letting anyone or anything enter the building.
Having this housing for women is crucial. Women have been brutally attacked by government cuts. Changes to welfare laws, closures of sexual assault centres and women centres, changes to poverty, law, legal aid and family law have all increased the desperation and poverty levels amongst women.
With the coming cold and with deepening levels of poverty it is even more dire that we create spaces to house women who are in need of assistance. If the city won't do it, then we will do it ourselves.
Please come out to 2530 Cambie St. (Cambie and Broadway) to show your support. If you have supplies such as blankets, water or flashlights, or food please bring them too. Come out or call 604-728-9550.
womens housing
womens housing2
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Nov. 1 update: three arrests
Nov. 1 update: three arrests made so far (news from apc.resist.ca):
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UPDATE
November 1, 2006 2:00
Another a supporter was just arrested sending up a sleeping bag.
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URGENT – Women’s City Hall Housing Takeover needs your support!
Wednesday, November 1, 2006
5:00pm (earlier for those who are able)
Support Rally
2530 Cambie Street (near Cambie & Broadway)
womens_housing
This morning, Kim Kerr and Thomas Malenfant were arrested and charged with obstruction while attempting to get essential supplies inside the occupied building. Since the building was surrounded by police yesterday afternoon, they have not allowed anything or anyone to enter the building. This includes water, blankets and food. Police also spent the night harassing supporters who were staying outside the building.
The APC is demanding the immediate release of Kim and Thomas without any charges. Until this happens, we are not entering into any kind of negotiations with police about exiting the building.
Please come down and join supporters as soon as you can. We are especially asking that people come out for a support rally at 5pm this evening.
News Report
2 activists arrested at new Vancouver squat
Last Updated: Wednesday, November 1, 2006 | 1:05 PM PT CBC News
Two anti-poverty activists have been arrested by Vancouver police for taking blankets and water into a city-owned building being occupied by squatters, just down the street from city hall.
Kim Kerr of the Downtown Eastside Residents Association and a second person were arrested late Wednesday morning at the building at the corner of Cambie Street and West Broadway.
Kim Kerr, one of the leaders of the occupation, was one of two people arrested on Wednesday.Kim Kerr, one of the leaders of the occupation, was one of two people arrested on Wednesday.
Police said the pair could be charged with obstruction.
About 20 people took over the abandoned building on Tuesday, in an effort to draw attention to the city's homeless situation.
Kerr, one of the leaders of the latest squat, also helped organize the recent occupation of Gastown's North Star Hotel, which ended with arrests of six protesters.
Police had been posted at the new squat site to prevent any supplies from being taken into the protesters.
When asked about that strategy on Wednesday, Mayor Sam Sullivan said he will not tolerate the illegal occupation of someone else's property.