Vancouver police tactics face scrutiny during World Cup events

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In the Downtown Eastside neighborhood nearby BC Place, advocates have noted tactics and displacement that are putting lives at risk. • World Cup newsletter | Daily podcast | Download the app On a brisk afternoon on 14 April 2026, Tyson Singh Kelsall was walking to work in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside when he noticed five people lying sedated in a line along the sidewalk on Main Street. They must have used the same poisoned supply, he thought. For Singh Kelsall, who has spent years working in harm reduction in the neighbourhood, this sight was all too familiar as Vancouver’s drug supply is increasingly contaminated with sedatives like benzodiazepines. But what he saw next made him stop. Arriving before an ambulance, Vancouver police worked their way down the row, yanking each person toward the building wall. None of the officers checked the people’s breathing or asked if they needed help. Once the people were dragged from the edge of the road, the officers left. Singh Kelsall trains people in overdose responses and knows that you should not roughly haul someone sedated by opioids mixed with benzos. You position them carefully, check their airway, and stay until help arrives. Continue reading...