Montreal policers removed tents from an encampment on the fringes of Chinatown behind the Palais des Congrès, Montreal’s convention centre.
A spokesperson for the department told Global News two people were arrested for armed assault.
The raid happened following a request by city officials, according to the police.
“Bring back some sense of order and public health to the area,” Fo Niemi of CRARR, a human rights association, told Global News.
Niemi says the encampment threatened the livelihood of residents and was a blight on the image of Chinatown.
“We don’t want to have tourists and convention goers of the cities and countries coming here and all they see is homeless encampments and conditions that are not livable, not human,” Niemi said.
Some people who live in the area agree that something had to be done.
“They attack us many time, they follow us,” Karima Alsusaini, a local resident, told Global News.
While the tents are gone, many say homelessness and the problems associated with it persist. They say a long-term solution needs to be found.
“There has to be a sustained intervention on the part of the city to keep the area clean,” Niemi said.
No one from the city replied to Global News’ request for comment by deadline.