Victoria Police Reduce Pro-Palestine March Involvement

0:00Victoria Police are reducing their involvement in weekly pro-Palestine marches, starting April 4. The Saturday events, which have run for 126 straight weeks, usually take over traffic lanes on government and Douglas streets near. The legislature, chief Fiona Wilson says, the department can no longer afford the heavy resources for traffic control after investing over 10,000 officer hours. The decision comes down to officer burnout and stretched resources. Police here already handle the highest-called volume per officer in the province, and these extra shifts on top of regular duties have led to real. Fatigue. The province chipped in $1.2 million to help cover costs, but it's just not sustainable anymore. March organizer Maureen Stone pushed back at the announcement, saying they've always managed safety with their own trained marshals and never. Requested police help. They argue that officers on site make the events seem riskier than they are. Police noted some leaders have asked for support in the past.

1:01Moving forward, officers want protesters to stick to sidewalks and legislature grounds to avoid dangers in active traffic lanes. They'll still respond to accidents or immediate threats, but won't manage traffic. Expect increased patrols downtown and around places of worship amid global tensions. Police have notified organizers, the city, Jewish and Muslim communities, and plan to hand out info pamphlets this Saturday and next week to explain the shift. That wraps up Vancouver News today, brought to you with AI, I'm Cory with the story.