Lawyer representing encampment residents speaks out following Roos Island rally arrests

Supporters of those living at Roos Island in Kitchener’s Victoria Park are calling for charges to be dropped against housing advocates and all city decisions concerning the encampment there to be rescinded.

Supporters of those living at Roos Island in Kitchener’s Victoria Park are calling for charges to be dropped against housing advocates and all city decisions concerning the encampment there to be rescinded.

Now, a lawyer representing the encampment residents in court is calling for the Region of Waterloo to take a new approach to the housing crisis.

Shannon Down is speaking out following the arrest of three people in connection to a protest at Roos Island on Apr. 27, where police say a peace officer suffered a minor injury during the demonstration.

Around 40 protestors objected to the closure of Roos Island and the city’s efforts to relocate the people living there. The city is working to clear the encampment that’s been set up since last summer.

For Down, the rally was a frustrating scene and says the city’s security stopped activists from delivering food and services to people on the island.

"The effect of the fences and the gates was really to stop that support from getting across to the people who really needed it."

Following the most recent clash, Down says a human rights-based approach is needed to better address the issue of those living unhoused.