Saanich tent city founder arrested by police for obstruction, assault

Saanich police have arrested one of the founders of a tent city in the Vancouver Island municipality.

The tent city in Regina Park, near Uptown Mall, was erected in May and now has at least 40 people and 30 tents.

• Residents of new Saanich tent city tired of being 'forced to hide'

In late June, a fire commissioner ordered that fire and safety hazards be removed from the site.

The District of Saanichalso set out 11 conditions for people camped there, such as making sure structures were at least one metre apart andno smoking.

On Friday, Saanichpolice say firefighters and district staff went to the camp to help residents comply with the order.

Police say during that visit a 43-year-old woman was arrested for obstructing firefighters and assault.

"At one point the woman produced an air horn, pointed it at the ear of a fireman and blasted a loud audible signal in his direction," said a release from Saanichpolice.

I yelled 'alert'

ChrissyBrett, who says she was the woman arrested, confirms that the camp has an air horn thatis used to alert members.

She denies blasting an air hornas described by police.

"I was a couple feet away from [the firefighter] and I blew in the direction of the other end of the camp where they were approaching and I yelled 'alert,'" she said.

Respect for campers

She alleges that firefighters wereremoving people'spersonal belongings without some residents being there or without their consent.

"I asked [the firefighters] to work with our community to ensure that people were feeling as though they were being treated with dignity and humanity, rather than a complete stranger going through their things," she said.

The District of Saanich says it is working on aresolution for the illegal encampment in the park.

• District ofSaanichtimeline: Regina Park encampment updates

With files from Liam Britten.