Opposing rallies planned around Nanaimo tent city
Emotions are heating up around Nanaimo’s tent city with opposing rallies being organized.
The rallies are in the works as the city prepares to return to B.C. Supreme Court on Aug. 13 to seek permission to enforce fire safety rules.
Opponents to DisconTent city have announced on social media that they are organizing a march and rally on Sunday.
A Facebook page called Action Against DisconTent City states: “We are planning a citizen patrol/march and needle clean-up through downtown past city hall toward DisconTent city with our friends … The Soldiers of Odin Vancouver Island Chapter.” No time is mentioned.
The Facebook page for the Soldiers of Odin’s Vancouver Island group links to Action Against DisconTent City, stating, “We support this.”
The Vancouver Island chapter said on its Facebook page: “We are operating under SOO Canada. Fighting for your right to free speech, oppose illegal immigration, and help our fellow Canadians.”
Nanaimo Mayor Bill McKay has seen social media posts about the rally.
“The RCMP have been apprised,” he said Tuesday. “They are watching it carefully.”
Another rally is being planned to support campers in the tent city, said Nanaimo lawyer Noah Ross, who represents DisconTent City. He did not have more details.
Organizers of the support rally could not be reached on Tuesday.
DisconTent city was established in mid-May. At one point, it had an estimated 175 residents. McKay said that many tents are empty and that the number is closer to 95.
The city went to B.C. Supreme Court last month requesting an injunction to move the residents off the property. No decision has been announced on that application.
At the same time, the city was granted an order requiring tent city residents to follow the fire safety rules set out by B.C.’s Office of the Fire Commissioner.
Tent city advocates say the city has been harassing, bullying and intimidating in its demands to comply with that order.
They are calling on the province to step in and stop the city from cracking down on tenters. They say they have been in talks with B.C. Housing to line up safer equipment to use on the property.
Ross said tenters have made a substantial effort to comply with fire safety rules, such as moving tents apart from each other and ensuring they face the paths.
Tenters have been harassed, he said. “A young woman was hit by a bottle about two weeks ago.”
If Nanaimo is granted the enforcement order, it will be allowed to remove anything that does not meet fire standards and it can call on RCMP, a city statement said.
About a dozen violations of the fire safety rules are taking place, McKay said. Two fires have broken out, one in a portable bathroom. “We are very, very concerned.”
The main worry is that tenters use “highly flammable” tarpaulins, McKay said.