Civil City is a Hate Crime: Anti-Poverty Committee

For Immediate Release
January 21st, 2009

Today, the Anti Poverty Committee dropped a banner off the Cambie Street
Bridge stating: CIVIL CITY IS A HATE CRIME. Simultaneously members
attended the monthly police board meeting to address the ongoing
repression of poor people in the downtown eastside through mass ticketing,
street sweeps and a project of criminalization.

"In his campaigning mayor Robertson said, ' civil cities are created by
strong communities, they cannot be enforced or legislated' but in today's
police board meeting he seemed to have a different story." Stated Mitchell
Milne "So then why is he supporting the ongoing street sweeps and
ticketing of people in the Downtown Eastside (DTES)" said Milne.

In the last four months, there has been an increase in the number of
tickets given to people in the DTES for minor bylaw infractions such as,
jaywalking, vending without a licence, being in a park after 10pm and
riding a bicycle without a helmet.

"Basically, this is a strategic plan to criminalize the daily activities
of people living and surviving in the downtown eastside." stated Anna
Hunter, "they repeatedly ticket people and then when they obviously can't
pay the exorbitant fines, there is a warrant for their arrest, and they
are locked up."

Superintendent Warren Lemcke also spoke at the police board meeting, and
praised the New York plan, the "Broken Window's Theory". Arguing that by
targeting people for minor infractions and 'cleaning up the streets' of
unsightly people, the real problems will be dealt with.

"This project of social cleansing is criminalizing the daily activities of
people trying to survive. Trying to hide the image of homelessness will
not solve the problem." stated Anna Hunter during the police board
meeting.

"Members of the APC have dropped this banner to let the citizens of
Vancouver see what Project Civil City really is - a Hate Crime." Stated
Milne. The APC will continue it's fight against Project Civil City,
alongside of other organizations in the DTES as more and more people are
being targeted.