Pro-housing protesters who went from city hall to Beasley Park told to move on, again

After six weeks in front of city hall, protesters calling for more permanent housing options moved to a local park early July.

This week, they were forced to move again. 

At its peak, dozens of people set up tents and protested in front of Hamilton's municipal government building, some of which were unhoused and forced to leave their encampments elsewhere. 

Some in the group moved to Beasley Park on July 12 after the Hamilton Encampment Support Network (HESN) said that bylaw officials threatened to discard personal items and were under "around the clock surveillance" by police, bylaw and security guards at city hall. 

On Tuesday, the protesters say they were forced to leave once more, "but not given any safe place to go," according to HESN.

John Phillips, an unhoused protester, was one of the few remaining in tents Tuesday afternoon. He told CBC Hamilton that police and bylaw were attempting remove them from the park.

"They opened my door and stuck their heads in, and we're like, 'what the heck are you guys doing?'" he said.

"My tent partner put the door back and closed it down … then they open it back up and throw a trespass notice in here and zip it shut."

By Wednesday morning, his tent was the only one at the park. But he told CBC Hamilton Thursday morning he was forced to move on and is now at Jackie Washington Park with other protesters. 

'We're done being thrown around': protester

In January, the city ended its temporary encampment protocol, which allowed some tents to be in parks and public spaces, citing an increase in shelter spaces and its outdoor shelter as providing more options for unhoused people.

In March, it began enforcing the bylaw which prohibits encampments in public parks. 

Phillips said he has not been able to access housing and has been displaced several times since he was evicted from his apartment at 240 Kenilworth St. N. in February due to the building being unsafe. 

He said he was staying in various parks since then until he ended up at city hall.

"I want the city to know that we're literally done being displaced. We're done being thrown around where we have no answers or anything," said Phillips.

Kelly Beaton, acting director of Licensing and Bylaw at the city, confirmed to CBC Hamilton in an email that bylaw officials, alongside police, carried out enforcement efforts from July 18 to 23. In total, 15 trespass notices were issued, the city said.

Beaton said the city's committed to "acting promptly to respond to Parks Bylaw violations while ensuring a thoughtful and compassionate approach."

HESN told CBC Hamilton in an email protesters could stay on-site, but stored materials had to be removed.

"This detail is important because residents don't have safe places to store their belongings, which means they cannot physically remain in the park to protest without those things," HESN said.

HESN also said several tents were temporarily empty as people were getting food or accessing other services.

"Bylaw put trespass notices in front of these tents and they were deemed abandoned 30 minutes later. One was thrown out before giving notice or speaking to other protesters on site who could have packed it away," said HESN.

Michelle Baird, director of housing services at the city, said in a statement said the city's outreach team "offers individuals storage options for their possessions" and "in cases where possessions remain following enforcement, [staff] will assist with site cleanups and engage with individuals to ensure possessions are not being disposed of."

She said "clean-up efforts are focused on waste and debris" as the city balances "the needs and well-being of people living outdoors with the community's ability to enjoy public spaces safely."

In recent years, Hamilton residents have spoken out both in favour of more housing options and some with concerns over safety of parks and trails due to growing encampments. 

City says it's advocating for housing investments to other levels of government

Outreach workers were on site at Beasley Park on Tuesday when protesters were being removed, the city and HESN said. 

Baird said the outreach team was "actively working to connect [protesters] with available options" but that "not all individuals at the encampment accepted shelter," acknowledging this is for a variety of reasons, including "personal, safety, or health-related."

Baird also said it's possible not "all requests for shelter could be immediately met."

She added the City of Hamilton is advocating for investments in long-term housing and support to other levels of government.

HESN said outreach workers "were not able to offer housing or shelter to residents."

Phillips said he'll continue protesting in his tent until he has a permanent place to call home. "Adequate housing doesn't have wheels. It doesn't have feet. It stays in one place. And unless they can provide me adequate housing, this is my adequate housing," he said.