[Wamvan] activists take to the streets in victoria

[Farida Hussain]

What an awesome idea! I love it. I'm fully behind WAM folks doing stuff like
this.

On Wed, Jun 22, 2011 at 6:59 PM, Kalamity H <kalamityh at hotmail.com> wrote:

>  Thanks for that Tami - that news release has made me very very happy. :)
>
> Kalamity
>
> ------------------------------
> Date: Wed, 22 Jun 2011 16:04:42 -0700
> From: tamistarlight at gmail.com
> To: wamvan at lists.resist.ca
> Subject: [Wamvan] activists take to the streets in victoria
>
>
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> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: *Anonymous Remailer (austria)* <mixmaster at remailer.privacy.at>
> Date: Wed, Jun 22, 2011 at 7:49 AM
>
>
>
> Press Release
> For Immediate Release
>
> VICTORIA DIRECT ACTION GROUP TAKES A STAND AGAINST THE CRIMINALIZATION OF
> POVERTY IN "OPERATION PUBLIC SPACE"
>
> Two hundred "Private Property: No Camping, No Loitering, No Soliciting, No
> Trespassing" signs removed or transformed overnight
>
> Victoria, Lekwungen, WSANEC and Esquimalt Territories, June 22, 2011 - A
> direct action group called "Operation Public Space" removed or transformed
> approximately two hundred signs overnight in Victoria.
>
> The group altered signs on posts and in windows declaring  "Private
> Property: No Camping, No Loitering, No Soliciting, No Trespassing". New
> signs reading "Public Space: Respect, Justice, Compassion and Community -
> Stop the Criminalization of Poverty" were kindly pasted overtop the old
> signs.
>
> "These 'private property' signs specifically target people who are living
> in poverty and trying to survive on the streets", said an unnamed group
> member.
>
> In a statement, "Operation Public Space" said: "Only people without roofs
> over their heads camp on city streets. Only people without money to shop are
> considered 'loiterers'. Only people who are labeled 'unwanted' are
> 'trespassers'. Businesses are allowed to ask for money all they want, but
> when a marginalized person asks for a few coins, they're considered illegal
> 'solicitors'."
>
> The new signs were designed as a reminder that respect, justice, compassion
> and community are needed to work towards real solutions to poverty and
> homelessness.
>
> "If Victoria residents don't want to see poor and homeless people, they
> should be actively working to fight homelessness and poverty", stated an
> "Operation Public Space" member. "Criminalizing poor and homeless people is
> not an answer to our community's problems. Instead, it makes the most
> marginalized people in our city even more vulnerable, and deepens the
> crisis."
>
> "Operation Public Space" said that it hopes the businesses and government
> offices that were gifted new signs will consider leaving them in their
> windows to express their support for a community free of poverty. The
> "operation" is one of thousands of similar creative actions that stimulate
> debate and action on community issues. No plants, animals or people were
> harmed in the direct action.
>
> - 30 -
>
>
>
> --
> Meegwetch/Thank you/Merci
> *Tami M. Starlight*
> Vancouver, Canada
> tamistarlight at gmail.com
> tami.cosmic (facebook)
> tami_starlight (twitter)
> 604-200-2445home
> 604-790-9943cell
>
>
>
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>


-- 
*Farida Hussain*
Student, Journalist
UBC Graduate School of Journalism
Phone: 604 649 8619
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