Noisy protesters interrupt Vancouver mayor during housing summit
Posted October 27, 2016 12:40 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – The goal is to come up with solutions on housing, but at a summit in Vancouver this morning protesters stormed the stage as Mayor Gregor Robertson spoke. They claim low-income people are being left out of the conversation.
Tax the rich to house the poor, make the rich pay! Video from disruption. #readdresshousing pic.twitter.com/d1GhCPklvR
— Against Displacement (@stopdisplacemnt) October 27, 2016
This all went down at the Vancouver Convention Centre where the mayor responded to those most affected by homelessness. Roughly half a dozen people stormed the stage, carrying signs that read, ‘Leave the Hastings tent city alone,’ and rejecting the panel’s experts. Police were on hand and removed them.
Among the group were people from the Carnegie Community Action Project, which said earlier this week, they don’t feel like they are a part of the ongoing conversation surrounding affordable housing.
However, Robertson says the city is trying to include a variety of people in talks and solutions. “Most of this week’s events have been free and public and there has been opportunities for people to attend the summit as well at no cost. We’re trying to get as many local voices as we can.”
Robertson says he understands people are frustrated about the housing crisis. “This is a common thread here where we’re all struggling with immense housing pressures and the partnerships and contributions from other levels of government needs to be stronger.”
He adds city staff handed out free passes to the conference where tickets were being sold for several hundred dollars and it hosted a Right to Housing discussion at the Creekside Community Centre this week.
