[van-announce] Tent City Needs Your Support Now!

[autonomy at telus.net]

** PLEASE FORWARD WIDELY **

Call for support! 
New tent city opens at Union St. between Gore and Main.  Please come 
down!

Today at approx. 5 PM homeless people and their supporters marched on 
a piece of vacant and under-used city property to create a tent city. 
We did this to help house the city's ballooning homeless population 
and to draw attention to the need for housing for all!  After a tense 
standoff with over 100 police officers and after the arrest of two of 
our allies we succeeded in finally taking the land.  Our tents and 
shelter had already been taken down by City workers.  People still 
want to occupy the land and demand that the city put aside ONE green 
space in this city for homeless people to live in.

By taking down the tents, by blocking people from using parks and 
other green space, and by arresting people, the city is de facto 
taking the position that it is better for the homeless to sleep in 
alleys and in doorways than in the comparative safety of green open 
space. Homeless people deserve better. Please call city hall and let 
them know that. Call Mayor Larry Campbell's office at 604 873 7621 or 
email him and the rest of city council at 
mayorandcouncil at city.vancouver.bc.ca.

Now, we need your support. Please come down now or as soon as you 
can.  Please bring tents, sleeping bags, blankets, food, and - most 
of all - yourselves, to support the fight for Housing for All!