Vancouver police are investigating a disturbing beating that reflects what some call a sad state of affairs in the city’s downtown.
A vicious fight broke out around 3:30 a.m. Monday near Granville and Davie streets with one man being kicked as he lay on the sidewalk.
Police said the fight started between two men and then other people became involved.
One man was taken to the hospital with minor injuries, police said.
No arrests have been made.
Witness Hailee Gerun said she has seen more violent incidents in this area recently.
“I definitely have seen an increase in crime, in the last even like few months,” she told Global News.
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“I use to always just walk home at night and now I’m definitely taking like Ubers, cabs, Evo if I can drive. I don’t want to be walking home at night.”
Vancouver police say the assault remains under investigation.
In April, Vancouver city council voted down a controversial proposal that would have seen CCTV cameras installed in public spaces to address concerns around crime.
Only Non-Partisan Association (NPA) Coun. Melissa De Genova, who introduced the motion, voted in favour of it.
Her proposal came with public safety shaping up to be an election issue in October’s municipal vote, and as Vancouver police say the city is seeing about four random assaults per day.
“I’m hearing from people … especially women and young families. I’m hearing from employees that work in retail that have to walk in the evenings to transit. I’m hearing from young families who live in condominiums and apartments especially downtown and they rely on parks and community centers as their living rooms and their back yards, that they don’t feel safe,” De Genova told Global News.
— with files from Global News’ Simon Little
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