Police say they won’t force homeless campers at Victoria’s courthouse off the property on the province-issued deadline day.
Addressing what they called incorrect reports in media and online, police released a statement clarifying that while officers will be present for a block party rally at the courthouse Thursday, they won’t be forcing anyone to leave.
“At this time, there is no legal order in place that would prompt police enforcement on that day,” the statement said. “Our understanding is that the provincial government is seeking voluntary compliance with their request for campers to leave the site by Feb. 25.”
Police and the province haven’t said what will happen if campers defy the order and remain at the site past the deadline, but it’s expected that B.C. will seek an injunction to legally remove them.
Victoria Police say if that happens, “we will continue to work with the various stakeholders to resolve the situation peacefully.”
A letter from the province sent to tent city campers last month said they were being asked to leave over “safety risks to the campers and the general public.”
Some 15 campers made the move Tuesday to new transitional housing at the former Mount Edwards Care Home on Vancouver Street.
Another shelter opened at a former youth correctional facility in View Royal in anticipation of tent city being cleared out.
The tent city has been operating since November, and steadily grew in population to over 100 campers.
