About 25 people showed up to a sit-in at the Main Street breezeway in Penticton Tuesday in support of a local street person facing court action from city hall over a panhandling dispute.

Though Paul Braun hasn91裸聊视频檛 been at his regular spot in the breezeway as often lately, he was at his perch Tuesday by noon, with a cohort of supporters slowly filtering in, including his legal representative, Paul Varga, who sat beside him.

91裸聊视频淭hey all know what91裸聊视频檚 going on. It91裸聊视频檚 no secret,91裸聊视频� Braun said of his supporters, adding it felt good to have a show of solidarity. 91裸聊视频淭he only people that think it91裸聊视频檚 wrong is the city. And they think it91裸聊视频檚 wrong while standing in front of the (kindness) meter that91裸聊视频檚 doing the same thing.91裸聊视频�

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Between noon and 12:30 p.m., the crowd grew to about 25 from 15, as supporters slowly trickled in and out and passed by offering hugs, while one attendee even made a pot of soup for the small rally.

91裸聊视频淚 think that it91裸聊视频檚 not right that people are targeted just because they don91裸聊视频檛 have a job or they91裸聊视频檙e homeless or what have you,91裸聊视频� said Sherri Morrison, who brought the soup. 91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檝e seen a lot of street people, and I91裸聊视频檝e walked by Paul many times and he91裸聊视频檚 never said a mean thing or been aggressive.91裸聊视频�

Christine Volk, one of the organizers of the Monday night dinners for the homeless in Nanaimo Square, said she showed up to bring more awareness to the issue, saying she has seen negativity toward the homeless population in other instances, herself.

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91裸聊视频淐ertainly, reading in the news, you can see in the articles all the time 91裸聊视频� where people are talking against the homeless. You know, 91裸聊视频榳hy are they here, close down things so that they91裸聊视频檒l move on,91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频� she said.

91裸聊视频淓ven at Nanaimo Square we91裸聊视频檝e had some trouble, where the bylaw would like it moved to another location because people want to, in their words, 91裸聊视频榯ake back the square,91裸聊视频� but it is a public place. These are the citizens of our town, and we need to have compassion because that could be any of us.91裸聊视频�

That was a sentiment shared by another attendee, who said there aren91裸聊视频檛 enough housing alternatives for someone if they lose a source of income.

91裸聊视频淲here do we go then? We don91裸聊视频檛 have alternatives in Penticton. Where is there a decent place to rent? $1,200 a month is not low income,91裸聊视频� Betty Mahar said. 91裸聊视频淭hey make tickets up at the office, and then they throw them in his lap when going by. That91裸聊视频檚 pathetic.91裸聊视频�

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The city has handed Braun eight $110 tickets for violating section 5.2 of the , which prohibits panhandling 91裸聊视频渋n a manner to cause an obstruction,91裸聊视频� which is defined as being within 10 metres of a pedestrian walkway.

Braun has not paid the tickets, amounting to $880 in total, and the city handed him a subpoena to appear in court in late fall last year. Though Varga has characterized the city91裸聊视频檚 tack on the issue as a 91裸聊视频渨ar on the homeless,91裸聊视频� the city took aim at that phrasing in a public statement released Tuesday in advance of the sit-in.

91裸聊视频淣othing could be further from the truth. Mr. Braun is not homeless and has a residence,91裸聊视频� the city91裸聊视频檚 statement read, referring to Braun now living at the Fairhaven social housing project.

91裸聊视频淢r. Braun continues to defy the Bylaw and has rejected what the media has quoted as a 91裸聊视频榮weetheart deal91裸聊视频� from the city prosecutor that would require Mr. Braun to simply comply with the bylaw.91裸聊视频�

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The 91裸聊视频渟weetheart deal91裸聊视频� the city mentioned refers to the wording city lawyer Troy DeSouza used to describe a city offer to cut the legal action if Braun agrees to pay $100 and obey the bylaw, and Varga took issue with the city referencing the offer.

91裸聊视频淢y understanding of our negotiations was between the city91裸聊视频檚 lawyer and myself, and not between the media and him,91裸聊视频� Varga said. 91裸聊视频淣ow, if he91裸聊视频檚 wanting to release the details on that without prejudice communication, I guess you should release the whole thing.91裸聊视频�

DeSouza has also taken aim at Varga in the past for speaking to the media about the case, telling the court in a hearing last week it was the city91裸聊视频檚 91裸聊视频減reference to try this in the court of law,91裸聊视频� not the court of public opinion.

The issue is set to go to trial from Sept. 11-14, with a pretrial conference set for late June.

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dustin.godfrey@pentictonwesternnews.com
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