The union representing city workers who were caught up in Wednesday’s violent protest says they were not on board with the removal of the temporary homeless shelters.
The scene quickly erupted into chaos as concerned citizens surrounded the crisis shelters trying to save them at the old Halifax Public Library on Spring Garden Road.
Police pushed back and eventually resorted to riot gear and pepper spray to hold the protestors at bay.
CUPE 108 has issued a statement on behalf of the workers who were impacted by the events, saying they would have been against the dismantling of the shelters if consulted.
“Members of CUPE 108, representing municipal workers with the Halifax Regional Municipality, were shocked and upset by the direction given to them the morning of August 18 by management to remove shelters used by people without homes,” says CUPE 108 President Scott Chetwynd. “Our members want the public to know that they would have opposed the removal of the shelters, as they have done previously.”
The statement says management told outside workers that morning to tear them down, and to remove, box, label, and store the personal belongings of those living at the sites.
The locations included Peace and Friendship Park, the old Halifax library, the Commons, and other sites.
A man sits atop a crisis shelter at the old library on Spring Garden Road in Halifax. (Credit: Steve MacArthur)
Chetwynd says the act was carried out “under a shroud of secrecy” as both the union and workers were not given a heads up.
He adds they had even been assured such an order would not happen again after HRM gave eviction notices to residents in July, so they were “shocked” by the most recent order.
“They faced unsafe conditions throughout the day, without adequate training,” says Chetwynd. “Many have told us that they’re traumatized by the events and they’re struggling to understand why their employer would insert them in the middle of such a controversial, ill-planned and unsafe situation.”
When there was just one shelter left standing, city workers were brought in to tear it apart on site.
Videos posted to social media show a worker with a chainsaw, who wasn’t wearing protective equipment, cutting through the small building.
People threw water bottles and apples as he chopped it up.
CUPE 108 says due to the events during the protest, staff have been reminded of their right to refuse unsafe work.
(CREDIT: Twitter via @Red_Hannah_HFX)
The union has reached to HRM management and CAO Jacques Dube to demand workers be removed from unsafe conditions and escorted to safety.
The statement says they have not yet received a response.
Meantime, District 7 – Halifax South Downtown Councillor Waye Mason has issued a statement that says the community has an “urgent housing problem” to solve and the events this week made him feel ill.
“It has been depressing and frustrating to watch the situation between protestors and police. None of us wanted to see events unfold the way they did [Wednesday]. I don’t want anyone to be hurt or suffer and I appeal for calm.”
He shifts responsibility to the province, saying the lack of affordable homes is due to years of neglect from previous provincial governments.
Mason adds the temporary structures built for the homeless in public spaces are not the answer and there are better options available.
Two crisis shelters at the old library on Spring Garden Road in Halifax. (Credit: Steve MacArthur)
He wants the municipality to take back the responsibility of housing from the province along with the funding that comes with it.
The city has stated the shelters needed to be removed in the interest of public safety after complaints were received and efforts were made to help people make temporary arrangements to bridge the gap to permanent housing.
Mason says he has learned this help may not have been made available to all those involved – 40 people were forced out of these sites. He’s working to connect them with provincial housing support workers to ensure they have access to the housing options.
Mason also addresses reports officers removed their nametags during the protests, saying that’s inappropriate.
“I have heard the concerns about the policing approach and some officer’s lack of name tags and wearing thin blue line badges. This is unacceptable and this will be reviewed by the appropriate bodies, the Board of Police Commissioners, and SiRT.”
A video showing the police using pepper spray during yesterday’s protest in downtown Halifax. Credit: Nova Scotia Advocate. pic.twitter.com/rjFNMcaUVX
— Steve MacArthur (@Steve_Mac_NS) August 19, 2021
Councillors were largely quiet on the day the protest unfolded. District 11 Councillor Patty Cuttell broke that silence with a Tweet.
She says people had good reason to be angry and the affordable housing crisis needs to be addressed.
Meantime, a GoFundMe has been set up to help the 24 protestors who were arrested pay their legal fees. They’re facing charges for obstructing officers and assault of police.
The fundraiser has raised more than $33,000.
