Man arrested after city worker assaulted at encampment

Police say a 25-year-old man staying at a homeless encampment in Hamilton is facing charges following an incident where a city worker was hurt.

The man has been charged with assault level one and breach of probation, according to Const. Jerome Stewart.

The waste collection worker was approached by a man from the encampment onFerguson Avenue North just before 8 a.m. on August 5, say investigators.

Police say the alleged assault happened"without provocation." The worker initially wouldn't press charges, but began cooperating with investigators after he realized his injures were more extensive than he thought, said Stewart.

The victim is continuing to recover.

Marcie McIlveen, outreach coordinator for Keeping Six, previously told CBCa man washaving a mental health crisis, and he was confused and hit theworker.

He doesn't remember the incident, McIlveensaid, and is deeply apologetic now.She worriesthis will give the publica bad impression of the people living there.

The encampments have been a divisive issue in Hamilton since they appeared with greater visibilityduring the COVID-19 pandemic. There are more than 50 tents downtown, mostly outside the temporary shelter on York Boulevard and the Wesley Day Centre on Ferguson Avenue North.

People thereare picking up garbage themselves every morning, trying to keep the area clean, McIlveensaid. A lot of the waste floating around Ferguson Avenue North, she says, isn't from the encampment dwellers.

"Everybody's working together," she said. "We're trying tohave community and everybody meeting at the table."

The citysaid it isrevisiting how often it collects waste at encampments following the incident.

Crews regularly collect waste from encampment areas aroundthe FirstOntario Centre and Ferguson Avenue North. Now, "the city is looking at the frequency of waste collection schedules in those areas," the city said, "and will be updating the advice it gives outreach workers to provide services to those areas."

Stewart said police arecontinuingto visitthe encampments.

"It's not so much in an enforcement role," he explained."Weare making pop-in visits regularly."