Health orders to be enforced at protest against Penticton council decision on homeless shelter: RCMP

Penticton RCMP are reminding citizens to maintain social distancing and other pandemic protocols at a protest tomorrow directed at city council's decision to not allow an emergency homeless shelter to remain open.

Penticton city council’s decided earlier this week to not renew a temporary use permit for an emergency winter shelter at the former Victory Church building at 352 Winnipeg St.

The protest is planned for tomorrow, March 5, at 2 p.m. in Gyro Park, according to a post in the Facebook group Penticton Overdose Prevention. Protesters are being asked to bring a tent and set it up in the park "to show city council what the result of their decision will look like come April 1.”

RCMP spokesperson Const. James Grandy cautioned citizens in a new release that police are aware of the event and will enforce public health orders. He said the order may result in fines being issued against organizers and attendees if non-compliance.

"Penticton RCMP supports everyone’s right to peacefully and lawfully protest. We take an impartial stance on the motivations for this event," Grandy said in the release. "However, we’re reminding the organizers, and potential attendees, of the current public health orders in effect."

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