HALIFAX - A Halifax police operation to remove wooden shelters for the homeless led to arrests, people pushing against patrol cars and protesters having irritants sprayed in their faces Wednesday afternoon. The operation began at 6 a.m. local time, prompting a crowd to gather around two of the shelters on a lawn outside the old Halifax central library site on Spring Garden Road in the city’s downtown. Halifax police weren’t immediately available for comment on how many arrests occurred over the course of the day. He said the city had taken a gradual approach to the library protest, and had given notice of its intent nearly two months ago when it said it wanted the property cleared. “We told people that we would not move anybody until we knew that they had an appropriate place to go in terms of supportive housing,” Savage said.

Source: thestar August 18, 2021 20:48 UTC