A crowd gathered in downtown Nanaimo today to cry for government action on violent crime.
More than 100 people gathered on the front lawn of the Nanaimo Courthouse on Wednesday, Sept. 14, for what organizers called a safety rally.
The event, promoted as B次元官网网址渁 grassroots initiativeB次元官网网址� to provoke change to restore public safety in NanaimoB次元官网网址檚 parks, homes, banks and businesses, was sparked by recent crimes, including a stabbing in Maffeo Sutton Park on Sept. 5 that claimed the life of Fred Parsons.
A short list of invited speakers shared the impacts that crime in downtown Nanaimo has had on their businesses and personal lives.
B次元官网网址淚t may be outrage that brought us here today, but itB次元官网网址檚 resolve that will make this event a success, that inspires others and helps us all,B次元官网网址� said Karen Kuwica, Newcastle Community Association member and president of the Newcastle Block Watch, who moderated the event.
Lee Marstein, mother of ParsonsB次元官网网址檚 fianc茅e, related how her daughter, Parsons and a friend went out to take their dog for a walk at Maffeo Sutton Park and were allegedly attacked by two men.
B次元官网网址淭hey walked up to them, sprayed them with pepper spray B次元官网网址� all three of them as well as the dog B次元官网网址� and then proceeded to stab Fred to death,B次元官网网址� Marstein alleged. B次元官网网址淣ow I have to hold together my daughter, her children, my other daughters, because they absolutely adored Fred.B次元官网网址�
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Marstein, a member of Country Club Block Watch, said she has never had a problem dealing with people experiencing homelessness in Nanaimo.
B次元官网网址淏ut that doesnB次元官网网址檛 mean there is not a problem out there,B次元官网网址� Marstein said. B次元官网网址淲e all have to stand together, as a community, and make sure that our community representatives are there to represent us, not the money.B次元官网网址�
Willow Friday has operated Iron Oxide Art Supplies for 20 years and said itB次元官网网址檚 never been easy to be in business at the storeB次元官网网址檚 Victoria Road location. The store has been broken into six times and on numerous occasions sheB次元官网网址檚 dealt with people having B次元官网网址減sychoticB次元官网网址漞pisodes in the store. Friday said she is exhausted and the situation is affecting her health.
B次元官网网址淭here has always been a hardness to Nanaimo, but over the last year it has gotten out of control. The lack of safety is very scary,B次元官网网址� she said.
She cited drug addiction and lack of action by the judicial system for prolific offenders who believe they can B次元官网网址渒eep stealing, mugging, lighting fires, being violent and sexually exploitative with no consequences.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淣ot every user is a criminal, nor criminal a drug user, but when you pair those things up it amplifies into a prolific problem that we are living in daily,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚 look forward to seeing all levels of government working together to change our judicial system, invest in social programs and accountable facilities B次元官网网址� the key word being B次元官网网址榓ccountableB次元官网网址� B次元官网网址� so we can give our streets and homes back to the children and the elderly.B次元官网网址�
Alex SheavesB次元官网网址檚 34-weeks-pregnant wife was hit in the stomach with a paving stone thrown at her by an individual on Commercial Street who also threw hot coffee on a man in a wheelchair, struck another man in the head and threw two beer mugs at Sheaves before attacking his wife and daughter.
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B次元官网网址淲e donB次元官网网址檛 know how the baby is. All we can tell is what the heart rate is because the baby hasnB次元官网网址檛 been born yet,B次元官网网址� Sheaves said. B次元官网网址淚 will never bring my wife and daughter back downtown until something happens because itB次元官网网址檚 ridiculous. My five-year-old daughter is in the back seat of my car as we drive down Nicol Street asking what the homeless are doing on the side of the road smoking their drugs. How in the hell is that OK? Why is the government allowing this?B次元官网网址�
Brian Rice owns Maffeo Salon and Day Spa on Wentworth Street, which had eight break-ins in one year with thieves making off with about $20,000 in merchandise and cash. He said his insurance company threatened to decline to insure the business if he makes further claims.
B次元官网网址淚f I get declined insurance, the bank will decline my mortgage and my business will cease to exist,B次元官网网址� Rice said. B次元官网网址淣ot only that, I canB次元官网网址檛 even sell a property that you canB次元官网网址檛 get insurance on, so what is petty theft, to me is not petty B次元官网网址� This has become very serious to me.B次元官网网址�
He said he has hired a security guard at $12,000 a year and his insurance premiums are now $900 per month.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e calling on the province, weB次元官网网址檙e calling on our MLA to do something,B次元官网网址� Rice said.
Darrel Gyorfi, retired RCMP member with 34 years of service, cited recently released figures from Statistics Canada indicating NanaimoB次元官网网址檚 44-per cent jump in violent crime severity and said crime in the city is the worst heB次元官网网址檚 seen since moving here in 1994.
B次元官网网址淭his last couple of months [there have been] murders, robberies, vicious assaults, weapons offences, threats with weapons being used,B次元官网网址� Gyorfi said. B次元官网网址淥ur victims? A man killed in a restaurant. A man stabbed while sitting in a park with his family. Seniors robbed after using an ATM machine. Random stabbings. Assaults and threatenings all over downtown, most not reported B次元官网网址� ItB次元官网网址檚 not part of our Charter of Rights and Freedoms to allow people to commit crimes against someone else.B次元官网网址�
Gyorfi also spoke about B.C.B次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址渞evolving doorB次元官网网址� justice system that releases offenders back onto the streets instead of holding offenders in custody when it is in the public interest.
B次元官网网址淧olice and security guards are not going to fix NanaimoB次元官网网址檚 out-of-control crime,B次元官网网址� he said.
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Kuwica said the effort to restore public safety will continue and noted there is a looming municipal election, which will be followed by provincial and federal elections.
B次元官网网址淭his isnB次元官网网址檛 a one-time thing. This is a big problem. ItB次元官网网址檚 systemic through all bodies of government and B次元官网网址� all levels of government need to understand that the people donB次元官网网址檛 feel safe, the people arenB次元官网网址檛 happy and that needs to change and that message is only going to come across if the people gather and share their message,B次元官网网址� she said.
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