[van-announce] SUPPORT NEEDED FOR WOODWARDS SQUAT

[megan]

Date: Mon, 23 Sep 2002 19:31:51 -0000
From: Marjorie Brown <marjorie at dojo.tao.ca>

Monday, September 23 at 12:30PM

Please forward this message to all of your lists and contacts.  Please
forward to all union locals.

This is an urgent appeal to help the Woodward's squatters.

BACKGROUND

For more detailed information and pictures, go to
http://vancouver.indymedia.org/

A week ago Saturday (Sept. 14) homeless people and community activists
occupied the vacant Woodward's building at the corner of Hastings and
Abbott in the Downtown Eastside demanding government action on social
housing.  Last Saturday, after the provincial government received an
injunction against the occupation and a removal order for the occupiers
police arrested and removed the residents of the squat.

The week-long squat demonstrated the depth of the housing crisis in
Vancouver, particularly in the Downtown Eastside.  The squat provided
people with a safe place to sleep, a roof over the head, food and
community support.

On Sunday, Sept. 22 after being released from jail, the squatters returned
and set up camp outside the building.  Mattresses and sleeping bags lined
the exterior of Woodwards and a temporary kitchen was set up to distribute
donations of food and clothing.

SQUATTERS RE-ARRESTED

Late Sunday night (Sept. 22) police once again moved in and arrested
squatters, this time for camping OUTSIDE the building.  The squatters say
that they were not told what they were being arrested for.  They were not
given the chance to speak to legal counsel.  Indeed, lawyer John
Richardson from PIVOT who has been acting for the squatters was arrested
as he crossed the street to approach the squatters and question the police
about the arrests.

What makes the arrests particularly horrifying is that police were
accompanied by dumptrucks.  All of the belongings of the homeless people
camped outside Woodward's were picked up and tossed in the trash.  Gone
are their mattresses, sleeping bags, blankets, sweaters and in some cases
identification and other personal effects.

The squatters have now been released without charge.  They marched from
cells at Main and Hastings to Victory Park.  Following a community meeting
the squatters have returned to the Woodward's building and are once again
set up outside the building.

YOUR SUPPORT IS NEEDED

Support for the squatters is critical.  This issue goes beyond housing.
In arresting people and holding them without charge for sleeping outside
the building police and Campbell's Liberal government are criminalizing
poverty.  It is an attack on the right to protest and it is an attack on
our legal rights when we do protest.

Throwing away the blankets and sleeping bags of people sleeping on the
street is a new low for this government and the police.  It is a
disgusting act of brutality that cannot be tolerated.

COME JOIN THE SQUAT

Please come down and show your support for the squatters.  There is safety
in numbers.  Come down for an hour or more and show solidarity.  Also,
bring a camera if you can and be prepared to witness any police actions
against the squatters.

DONATIONS

Donations are desparately needed.  The squatters are facing a night on the
street without blankets or sleeping bags.  If you have anything you can
donate, from food to supplies, please bring it down to the squat.

ATTENTION UNION LOCALS

We cannot stress enough how great the need is at the squat right now.
The squatters are not just confronting their own poverty, but the
brutality of this government and its corporate agenda.  If ever there was
a time to show solidarity with community activists, this is it.  If locals
can manage any donations of money or materials please consider brining it
down to the squat.  Also, please come down in person and bring your union
banners and flags to show solidarity with this action.


If you have any questions or require more information, please contact:

Ali at (604) 725-8415; or
Mike at (604) 779-7430; or
The Anti-Poverty Committee at (604) 682-2726.


Prepared by Marjorie Brown.





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