Homeless citizens are not criminals

I’d like you to join me in examining a recent article: “Sheraton Hotel requests more police in downtown Hamilton due to ‘increased illegal activity.’ ”

“A downtown Hamilton hotel is requesting assistance from police citing an increase in ‘illegal activities’ around its building.” The cry against “illegal activities” amplified by this article included “issues such as homelessness …”

My radar went up as soon as “homelessness” was the first “crime” requiring police intervention.

“The hotel is seeking support from police in the form of increased patrols in the downtown to ‘address community safety concerns,’ … (guests) felt unsafe in the downtown core and pointing to the presence of unhoused folks around the hotel.”

Guests to our city feel unsafe because of “unhoused folks around the hotel”— it’s pretty normal to feel a bit vulnerable in a place that’s not your community. But to reach out to police, because of “unhoused folks?”

Is homelessness a crime? I would agree there is crime involved here, but it is a crime against those folks, rather than a crime they are committing by being homeless. The crime is our lack of urgency to provide the human right of safe housing, and the supports needed to remain housed and healthy.

If the police need to be called, it should be to hold accountable those of us in positions of influence who should be working without delay to find temporary and permanent housing solutions for these unhoused folks.

“Another review: ‘Many homeless people are hanging around. I didn’t feel I could safely walk anywhere’ — police have responded to 88 calls since January.” This is what our tax dollars are going to? Ensuring that people with enough means to enjoy a hotel experience don’t feel unsafe around people who don’t?

“We appreciate that people are not feeling safe in their community and their perception is important,” — hang on a second — whose community? The guests of a hotel are just visitors. The community is folks who live in the downtown core — in a house, an apartment, or a tent or under a tarp. The people in tents are the community. They are the ones who should have a right to feel safe — including being safe from being called out for the crime of homelessness.

Coun. Cameron Kroetsch is quoted to be “hopeful that through the letter sent to the board, the Sheraton will see its concerns addressed by Chief Frank Bergen.” Is that really the solution we are looking for?

I’d like to caution The Spectator, Coun. Kroetsch, and all of us with power and means to be cautious whose voices we amplify, and who we call the police to take action against. When Jackie Penman says police are “committed to ensuring workers, tourists and businesses ‘are safe, and feel safe’ ” I say we pause for a moment and consider what we are saying by putting the safety of certain people ahead of the safety of others, community members who are much more vulnerable, and have much less in the way of options for safety and simply a place to put their heads down for the night.

“City spokesperson James Berry said ‘It’s important to the City of Hamilton that the public feel welcome and safe throughout our city.’” This public who should feel welcome and safe includes our homeless neighbours. I hope that when Berry says “We’re committed to working with the community, including community organizations, businesses and police, to ensure that,” he understands that this commitment should be first and foremost toward those who are vulnerable and need our help the most.