A CTV Vancouver Island cameraman was attacked while reporting at the tent city Friday afternoon — and he caught it on video.
At the time, Kirk Duncan was on the courthouse lawn, interviewing a tent city resident about the B.C. government’s announcement that it would seek a court injunction to dismantle the camp based on fire-safety concerns.
“The attack was unprovoked and it was not the person he was interviewing,” said Heather Kim, the station’s news director.
On the video, a man yells and swears at Duncan, saying he does not want to be filmed. He then lunges at Duncan and appears to push or hit him and chase him out of the camp.
CTV posted video of the incident (warning: video contains coarse language)
Kim said Duncan was shaken up but not injured. The attack was reported to police and the man was arrested, she said.
The news station had already decided tent city was too dangerous for reporters and camera operators to visit alone. Duncan had another cameraman with him. However, Kim said CTV will have to discuss future coverage of the camp.
“We’re not willing to put our people in danger. Safety is paramount,” she said.
The incident came less than 24 hours after a man was robbed and injured near the tent city.
Police said they were called to the 800 block of Burdett Ave. about 8:30 p.m. Thursday to deal with a robbery report. The victim said two men stole his wallet and fled on foot toward Quadra and Humboldt streets — away from the tent city.
“There is no evidence at this point that they are connected to tent city,” said Const. Matt Rutherford.
The victim had no life-threatening injuries. His attackers were identified as two white men in their early 20s. One had blond hair and wore a black hoodie. The other had brown hair and wore a yellow jacket.
Police are also looking for witnesses, particularly a thin white woman with blond hair, and anyone who has information on the attack.
Rutherford said there is an increased police presence near tent city, including two dedicated officers who patrol the area. Last week, the City of Victoria approved $113,000 for a police plan to better serve the tent city area.
Stephen Hammond and his community group, Mad as Hell, have been trying to get tent city shut down for months.
He said the man attacked Thursday night was the manager of a residential building who has had continuous problems since the homeless encampment was set up in the fall, including numerous thefts.
He said his neighbour was checking on the back of his building when he came across a woman and asked her to leave.
“That’s when two young men jumped him, assaulted him and stole his wallet,” Hammond said in an email. “When I saw him, he was shaken up and he was putting ice on his shoulder where he’d been hurt.”
Peter Kerr, owner of the Norwood Arms apartment building across the street from tent city on Burdett Avenue, confirmed an assault took place at his property and said the manager was injured.
Kerr said problems with tent city have taken a toll on his tenants.
“I have three notices to vacate, all indicating tent city is a factor,” he said, adding a young woman recently backed out of a rental agreement because her family did not want her living on a ground-floor apartment across from the camp.
“People are tired of the fear and anxiety.”
