BEATING OF HOMELESS MAN 'DEFINITELY' DRUG REVENGE

Drugs are undoubtedly behind an attack with a hammer and baseball bats on a
man sleeping near the Open Door early Wednesday morning, social agency
officials say.

"It was definitely drug related," said Rev. Al Tysick, the pastor who runs
the Open Door street drop-in centre on Pandora Avenue. "Somebody was trying
to collect, probably. That's a guess. I wasn't there. Somebody hasn't paid.
A message is given. There's a law on the street."

Police initially categorized the attack as "serious" and said two
assailants set upon the third using a hammer and baseball bats at about
6:20 a.m. Police arrested two suspects, who they said were known to the victim.

But by late morning, police spokesman Rick Anthony said the victim's
injuries were minor, the victim was uncooperative and witnesses
unavailable. Therefore, there would be no charges.

Tysick said the incident is symptomatic of a growing problem with drugs in
Victoria, with open sales increasingly common and deals gone sour that can
quickly turn violent.

The problem is exacerbated by a lack of affordable housing, he said, noting
shelters in Greater Victoria are full every night. He estimated there were
15 people sleeping around the Open Door when he arrived early Wednesday --
an increase he attributes to an initiative sponsored by police and downtown
businesses called Safe Streets Block By Block, which Tysick said is pushing
homeless people out of the downtown core.

But Victoria Police Insp. Grant Smith said there's no way that's happening.
His members are "suggesting alternatives" to street people about where to
get housing, food and counselling, he said, but the Block by Block program,
which won't even have its official start until May 2, is not forcing anyone
anywhere.

Smith said only three tickets have been issued in the city under the
province's new Street Safe Act -- all for extremely aggressive squeegee people.

"The last thing we want to do is make life more uncomfortable for somebody
who's already marginalized. That is not our intent at all," said Smith,
arguing the goal is to make downtown more appealing to "legitimate" users.

Smith also rejected suggestions the Block by Block program is designed to
clean up the streets for the tourist season. "It hasn't even come up in the
conversation. It's to make Victoria livable."

The initial focus for the project, which also involves the city's
engineering department and social service agencies, is the 600-block of
Yates and 1200-block of Douglas.

Victoria Cool Aid Society executive director Connie Finnie said encounters
like Wednesday's assault, which she also suspects was drug-related,
increase when people don't have safe places to stay.

But she said finding enough beds for the homeless will become more
difficult when cold-weather funding ends May 1, which means the elimination
of 25 emergency beds in Victoria shelters.

Smith agreed homelessness is a problem in the city. "It's a real issue," he
said. "It all comes down to funding."