It went quiet, just for a split second, outside the old Spring Garden Road Memorial Library site today. It felt like a collective inhale, a pause in the din of protestors, police, city employees and bystanders. As a city worker lifted a chainsaw to one of the temporary shelters on site, chewing it up with its metal teeth, its roar was all that could be heard. Then the split second ended, and the noise of the shelter’s destruction became the basenote to the tumult.
The lawn at 5381 Spring Garden Road has, over the course of the pandemic, become a site for homes for some displaced Haligonians: Tents and squat wooden structures known as “crisis shelters,” built by volunteer organization Halifax Mutual Aid.
In June, HMA had built 13 shelters across the city, and said it had a waiting list of 20 more people. In July, mayor Mike Savage said “We’re not going to move in and force people out,” and the city’s “goal is to treat people like human beings.” But on this August day, city workers and police worked together to destroy these shelters and forcibly remove their occupants.
On-the-ground reports of mace (including a 10-year-old child being maced by officers) and police in hardback gloves and riot gear have been tweeted by journalists at the scene, many of whom were threatened with arrest by police if they neared the shelters. But the old library isn’t the only community uprooted today. Photos of tents being thrown in the garbage at Peace and Friendship Park (located at the corner of Barrington and South Streets) and of police presence at Horseshoe Park and Geary Street in Dartmouth have also been reported.
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It is, at this time, unclear where those who lived in these crisis shelters and tents are meant to sleep tonight. Reporters on the scene say shelter inhabitants claim no one from the city has contacted them to discuss housing alternatives.
Halifax Pride cancelled its events planned for the rest of the day, pivoting its setup at the Garrison Grounds (near the library at 5425 Sackville Street) from hosting the Rainbow Pride Run to supporting people in the aftermath of the siege on the shelters. “Anyone in need of washrooms, food, first aid, or active listeners,” Pride tweeted, “our site is open to you until 11PM (or later, if needed) tonight.”
As Haligonians learn about their city’s ugly actions today, concern and compassion are spreading. If you’re wondering what you can do, here are a few ways you can help.
Help someone pay their $237.50 “camping in parks without permission” fine
People living in shelters were issued tickets today for “camping in parks without permission” under city By-Law P-600. Halifax Mutual Aid and Abolish Police Halifax have started a GoFundMe to help cover the costs of people’s fines. Donate what you can. This fund will also cover bail expenses as needed for community organizers and the housing insecure who were arrested at today’s events.
Update: Legal professionals have told The Coast that anyone who has been issued a ticket for camping without permission can take it to court to ask the court for a lower fine.
Let your councillors know what you think
Phone them, email them, tweet them. Your city-level elected officials just gave Halifax Regional Police an extra $2.7 million in April, despite a year of calls to defund the police. Here’s an online directory on how to contact them.
Donate directly to those displaced today
Social media posts indicate that e-transfers are currently being accepted by those the police removed from their homes today, so send any amount to ryan.maclean13@gmail.com or newelljohnny@hotmail.com with the password: housingjustice.
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Update: Donate a tent to Halifax Mutual Aid
The organization has put an urgent call-out for tents, asking folks to DM them on Twitter for details.
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This article appears in Aug 1-30, 2021.
City employee with chainsaw. NO PPE AT ALL! Bystanders in the line of fire from the chainsaw as he cut thru nails and tin. That amounts to shrapnel! HELLO! Who authorized him to destroy that structure without first suiting up? Works Dept heads should roll! And the City emloyee should and does know better. This has nothing to do with the homeless situation and everything to do with safety!! Imagine the potential lawsuit if someone in that crowd had been injured. I could go on but I think I’ve made my point! Bill.
This article is extremely partisan and NOT a reflection of what the majority of halifax thinks. Polls and opinions are being circulated from Twitter and Facebook which is only a reflection of a small more outspoken group.
In reality, the city did a great job and nobody in the right mind wants defunding of police. Defunding in police results in upwards of 500% in crime (as seen in multiple US cities) Illegal tenants were given months notice, tons of assistance and options. They were kindly offered help with packing their belongings and only those who refused to leave were ticketed.
Good job to Police and Halifax councilor members.
My Tax Dollars doesn’t include housing, by anybody on Public Property, in downtown Halifax.. Times are tough.. but not as tough as they were.. AND… not as tough as they are going to get.. YET.. If I don’t pay my taxes, I’ll end up on the street.. When I get short of money, I find work. The harder I worked, the more taxes I paid.. If you think it’s going to get better, you got something to learn.. If you don’t want to learn, get off of My Property, anyway.. I don’t support The COAST and it’s Publishers or it’s Editors I don’t support the criminals I pay Taxes to.. and.. I don’t support you.. ALL in the SAME Breath.. GET OFF OF MY PROPERTY>> FIND ANOTHER PLACE TO LIVE.
Perhaps Mutual Aid Halifax should compile a list of home owners/apartment dwellers who are willing to host someone who is homeless. May I suggest that some of the most critical of police and HRM be the first to offer. I realize that this group maybe attempting to grab some band width for vigorous debate of this issue. However, I find the construction and placement of what are essentially tool sheds for human habitation a bit problematic. I don’t consider the fabrication, placement and invitation for someone who is inherently vulnerable to live in it an altruistic act.
FTR for any keyboard warriors eager to climb down my throat for the previous comment; as the head of a household I recently hosted a young man in dire circumstances. An acquaintance of a family member with some mental health concerns, he was kicked out of his family home and had nowhere to go. We provided space and judgement free support. He was welcome so long as he was willing to live as my family lives. Translate as you don’t get to do whatever you want, whenever you want. I’m not looking for a medal or praise.
Be careful what you wish for. The bohemian lawlessness occurring downtown can’t continue. I’m a tax paying contributing citizen. I very much recall the words of JT’s father PET. “Go ahead and bleed!”