International Association Of Independent Journalists Inc.

[Jessica King]

The 2010 Vancouver Olympics And The Homeless!


By Jessica King




Jessica King (top right corner) at a protest in Vancouver!



Because of the 2010 Olympics, cops are basically clearing out the homeless from Vancouver. You have three options:

1. Get out of Vancouver.

2. Go to a shelter

3. Spend the night in a holding cell.


It basically goes down like this. You are sleeping outside because you are homeless. The next thing you know you are in a paddy wagon (if you are a deep sleeper and groggy when they move you) and in handcuffs. The paddy wagon stops and the cops take you and it's like "What the f**k man? Why am I in cuffs? Why am I here? They say "You were caught sleeping on the street. You are not allowed to do that. It's one of the new laws in Vancouver. You have a choice:

1. Stay in a holding cell

2. Go to a shelter.

3. Get out of Vancouver."


You decide to stay in the holding cell. So the next morning they say you are free to go. You still have to sleep so you sleep in an internet cafe and panhandle for some more internet cafe time and leave Vancouver. You leave Vancouver because you get tired of having cops wake you up and toss you into a holding cell, which you feel is completely wrong. They don't do this in Toronto, for example. This was something specific to the Olympics in Vancouver.

The B.C. Court of appeals allowed tent settlements for the homeless in places that did not have adequate shelter facilities. I just find it is stupid because they have like this "Red Tent Program" that the homeless can buy a red tent for like 100 dollars. Then they can pitch up the tent and stay wherever they want. But what happens to the homeless that don't have 100 dollars to buy a stupid tent that you can barely fit in. So only a few select homeless are allowed to sleep outside. You have to pay to sleep outside. Why would you do that. It's stupid!