'People don't feel safe': Nanaimo residents rally over concerns about downtown crime

Dozens of people attended a rally on the lawns of the Nanaimo Court House Wednesday morning to address their ever growing concerns about violence in the Harbour City.

Several people spoke to the crowd about their experiences being victimized and the impacts it has had on them.

The first person who spoke was the mother of Fred Parsons' fiancé. Parsons was murdered a little over a week ago in Maffeo Sutton Park.

The man and his friends were randomly attacked by a group of teenagers while walking his dog, she says.

"They walked up to them, sprayed them in the face with pepper spray, all three of them as well as the dog, and then proceed to stab Fred to death," she told the crowd.

Alex Sheaves, whose pregnant wife had a concrete brick thrown at her belly recently, also spoke about their random attack.

The couple and their five-year-old daughter were checking out local businesses downtown and wanting to grab something to eat when the attack happened.

"I will never bring my wife and daughter back downtown until something happens," said Sheaves.

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Businesses owners in the downtown core also spoke of their experiences.

Willow Friday has operated a business in downtown Nanaimo for 20 years. In recent memory, she has had it broken into several times and has also had to deal with people in her store having psychotic breakdowns, she said.

"There has always been a hardness to Nanaimo but over the last year it has gotten out of control," she told the crowd. "The lack of safety is very scary."

The owner of Maffeo Salon, Brian Rice, has had multiple break-ins in recent years resulting in approximately $20,000 worth of merchandise being stolen.

He has been told by his insurance company that his business will be uninsurable if he submits another claim.

"If I get declined insurance, the bank will decline my mortgage and my business will cease to exist," Rice said.

The rally was initiated by different neighborhood associations and block watches in Nanaimo, which say they want safety restored in the community.

"We need to be part of the solution and as the public we have a responsibility to play our role," said Karen Kuwica, volunteer and moderator of Wednesday's rally.

"Stand up and be part of the public voice that provokes policy change," she said.

The rally organizers are calling on all levels of government to address the problem.

"They need to understand that the people don’t feel safe. People aren’t happy and that needs to change," said Kuwica.

More safety rallies are expected in the future, organizers say.