Homeless Protesters Assemble Tent City

Homeless protesters have assembled a large tent city on an empty lot in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver at 58 West Hastings Street.

The fence is lined with anti-Olympic banners bearing slogans like "Resist the 2010 Corporate Circus" and "Empty lots. Empty promises. Homes Here Now."

The empty lot is owned by Concord Pacific and has been leased to VANOC for the Games. The lot was originally used by VANOC as a staging area for the opening ceremonies. In a written response to the protesters, a spokesperson for Concord Pacific said, "The land is currently leased and under VANOC's control for the Games. The land is slated for housing."

Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson says the city has no plans to remove protesters from the site. "As long as we can keep this protest safe for all involved, it's important these voices are being heard," Robertson said in a press conference on Tuesday.

Vancouver was recently given the dishonorable title of least affordable real estate market in the world according to the 6^th Annual Demographia International Housing Affordability Survey that was released on January 25, 2010.

The city estimates anywhere from 1,200 to 3,600 of its residents sleep in the streets.

The tent city ralliers hope to draw attention to Vancouver's homeless crisis with their peaceful but overt protest of the Games. The movement has spawned a local newsletter called the Tent Village Voice that chronicles the action seen on site.

With so many homeless people now living in the tent city, initial plans to close down after the Games have been scrapped. The tent city now has no official end date.