Police are investigating after a person was arrested for a crossing after a protest at Vancouver City Hall Wednesday afternoon that left broken glass in his path.
Members of the ‘Stop the Sweeps’ coalition gathered in front of the town hall to call for changes to the city’s practice of daily street rubbish to clean the sidewalks in the center of the east.
Police and city staff say members of the group briefly occupied the lobby of the building before police heard them.
The coalition said in a statement to CBC that after entering the building, they chanted “Stop the Sweeps” and asked to be heard by city councilors, who at the time were in a meeting to discuss the controversial Broadway Plan.
People are seen gathered around a security guard, with broken glass on the ground. (Justine Boulin / CBC)
Photos taken by a CBC photographer show glass on the north doors of the shattered building.
Protesters in Wednesday’s “Stop the Sweep” protest in front of Vancouver City Hall are shown trying to enter the building before the glass was broken (Justine Boulin / CBC)
They also show protesters struggling to enter the building before the windows break as security guards try to retreat.
“While peaceful protest is welcome, aggression and violence are not, and our priority is to ensure the safety of all those affected,” Vancouver City Council said in a statement to CBC.
The Stop the Sweeps coalition met in front of Vancouver City Hall on Wednesday. Several members are shown trying to enter the building. (Justine Boulin / CBC)
The day before, a motion before the city council called for changes in the way garbage is made, but the issue did not go to the polls. Opponents of street rubbish say the personal belongings of people living in public spaces are often taken by city teams and dumped, or stored where it is difficult to recover them.
The City Council has apologized this week for the damage caused by the practice.
As the debate on the motion was postponed, the staff canceled a public hearing on the matter which was initially scheduled for Wednesday.
Protesters say they chanted “Stop the Sweeps” after entering the building. (Justine Boulin / CBC)
The coalition says more than 30 people signed up to speak at the canceled hearing.
“At some point in the afternoon demonstration, several members of our coalition made the decision to enter the town hall and make our voice heard,” a statement from the group read.
The City of Vancouver says the protest began at 1 p.m. and ended around 4 p.m. (Justine Boulin / CBC)
The City Council said it is reviewing the circumstances related to the event. Police say the case is still under investigation.
Coalition members said no one was injured in the altercation.