About 25 people showed up to a sit-in at the Main Street breezeway in Penticton Tuesday in support of a local street person facing court action from city hall over a panhandling dispute.
Though Paul Braun hasn香蕉视频直播檛 been at his regular spot in the breezeway as often lately, he was at his perch Tuesday by noon, with a cohort of supporters slowly filtering in, including his legal representative, Paul Varga, who sat beside him.
香蕉视频直播淭hey all know what香蕉视频直播檚 going on. It香蕉视频直播檚 no secret,香蕉视频直播� Braun said of his supporters, adding it felt good to have a show of solidarity. 香蕉视频直播淭he only people that think it香蕉视频直播檚 wrong is the city. And they think it香蕉视频直播檚 wrong while standing in front of the (kindness) meter that香蕉视频直播檚 doing the same thing.香蕉视频直播�
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Between noon and 12:30 p.m., the crowd grew to about 25 from 15, as supporters slowly trickled in and out and passed by offering hugs, while one attendee even made a pot of soup for the small rally.
香蕉视频直播淚 think that it香蕉视频直播檚 not right that people are targeted just because they don香蕉视频直播檛 have a job or they香蕉视频直播檙e homeless or what have you,香蕉视频直播� said Sherri Morrison, who brought the soup. 香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檝e seen a lot of street people, and I香蕉视频直播檝e walked by Paul many times and he香蕉视频直播檚 never said a mean thing or been aggressive.香蕉视频直播�
Christine Volk, one of the organizers of the Monday night dinners for the homeless in Nanaimo Square, said she showed up to bring more awareness to the issue, saying she has seen negativity toward the homeless population in other instances, herself.
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香蕉视频直播淐ertainly, reading in the news, you can see in the articles all the time 香蕉视频直播� where people are talking against the homeless. You know, 香蕉视频直播榳hy are they here, close down things so that they香蕉视频直播檒l move on,香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈 she said.
香蕉视频直播淓ven at Nanaimo Square we香蕉视频直播檝e had some trouble, where the bylaw would like it moved to another location because people want to, in their words, 香蕉视频直播榯ake back the square,香蕉视频直播� but it is a public place. These are the citizens of our town, and we need to have compassion because that could be any of us.香蕉视频直播�
That was a sentiment shared by another attendee, who said there aren香蕉视频直播檛 enough housing alternatives for someone if they lose a source of income.
香蕉视频直播淲here do we go then? We don香蕉视频直播檛 have alternatives in Penticton. Where is there a decent place to rent? $1,200 a month is not low income,香蕉视频直播� Betty Mahar said. 香蕉视频直播淭hey make tickets up at the office, and then they throw them in his lap when going by. That香蕉视频直播檚 pathetic.香蕉视频直播�
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The city has handed Braun eight $110 tickets for violating section 5.2 of the , which prohibits panhandling 香蕉视频直播渋n a manner to cause an obstruction,香蕉视频直播� which is defined as being within 10 metres of a pedestrian walkway.
Braun has not paid the tickets, amounting to $880 in total, and the city handed him a subpoena to appear in court in late fall last year. Though Varga has characterized the city香蕉视频直播檚 tack on the issue as a 香蕉视频直播渨ar on the homeless,香蕉视频直播� the city took aim at that phrasing in a public statement released Tuesday in advance of the sit-in.
香蕉视频直播淣othing could be further from the truth. Mr. Braun is not homeless and has a residence,香蕉视频直播� the city香蕉视频直播檚 statement read, referring to Braun now living at the Fairhaven social housing project.
香蕉视频直播淢r. Braun continues to defy the Bylaw and has rejected what the media has quoted as a 香蕉视频直播榮weetheart deal香蕉视频直播� from the city prosecutor that would require Mr. Braun to simply comply with the bylaw.香蕉视频直播�
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The 香蕉视频直播渟weetheart deal香蕉视频直播� the city mentioned refers to the wording city lawyer Troy DeSouza used to describe a city offer to cut the legal action if Braun agrees to pay $100 and obey the bylaw, and Varga took issue with the city referencing the offer.
香蕉视频直播淢y understanding of our negotiations was between the city香蕉视频直播檚 lawyer and myself, and not between the media and him,香蕉视频直播� Varga said. 香蕉视频直播淣ow, if he香蕉视频直播檚 wanting to release the details on that without prejudice communication, I guess you should release the whole thing.香蕉视频直播�
DeSouza has also taken aim at Varga in the past for speaking to the media about the case, telling the court in a hearing last week it was the city香蕉视频直播檚 香蕉视频直播減reference to try this in the court of law,香蕉视频直播� not the court of public opinion.
The issue is set to go to trial from Sept. 11-14, with a pretrial conference set for late June.
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dustin.godfrey@pentictonwesternnews.com
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