THE OLYMPIC PARTY IS ALMOST OVER -FEB6

FEBRUARY 6: DEMONSTRATION AND ACTIONS IN VICTORIA CALL FOR THE IMMEDIATEEVICTION OF VANOC! *The Victoria Coalition Against Poverty and No2010 Victoria organize “TheOlympic Party is Almost Over”* Bastion Square, 2:00PM, Saturday Feb 6

Coast Salish Territories - Victoria, BC -> The VictoriaCoalition Against Poverty (VCAP) and No2010 Victoria will be serving the Vancouver Olympic Committee (VANOC) an eviction notice at the VANOC/SpiritCommittee offices in Bastion Square on February 6th, 2010. After ten years of Liberal cuts, abysmal welfare, inadequate disabilityrates and inaccessible healthcare, the Olympic costs will have direct local impact on already burdened communities. The Olympic Torch Relay cost Victoria over $600,000, and the costs of the Olympics in total will be over $6 billion. “The true cost of the Olympics will continue to be immeasurable as we see anincrease in poverty, criminalization, and ill health of those who are mostmarginalized”, said Rob Crosby of the Committee to End Homelessness. “Themost vulnerable people are footing the bill for the Olympic party, and we’vehad enough!” The demonstration and actions will begin when VCAP and No2010 Victoria serve VANOC with a people’s eviction notice. After the eviction, the groups will leave for a march with speakers and surprise actions. The event will finish with a street feast at Centennial Square. “We demand that VANOC vacate Victoria immediately and compensate thousandsof people in our city and throughout BC for the damages they’ve alreadycaused,” stated Tamara Herman from VCAP/No2010Victoria. “The BC governmenthas continued to ignore skyrocketing homelessness and poverty in thisprovince in the face of reckless spending on the Games. Today we’re callingon this to end!”

*PRESS CONFERENCE: FEBRUARY 6, 2 PM, BASTION SQUARE* The Victoria Coalition Against Poverty (VCAP) is a coalition of grassrootsorganizations that together are demanding an immediate end to poverty. No2010 Victoria is a local collective opposed to the 2010 VancouverOlympic Games. ** *Media Contacts:* Shane Calder: 250-893-0853 Tamara Herman: 250-857-9768 Shannon Lucy: 250-661-0989 Mik Turje: 250-884-6811 Email: viccoalitionagainstpoverty@gmail.com and no2010victoria@gmail.com