The Montreal police (SPVM) cleared a homeless encampment near the city's Chinatown following a request by city officials, police say.

A spokesperson for the SPVM told Global News two people were arrested for armed assault during the clearing.

Homeless people in Montreal are eating/sleeping in the freezing temperatures because of this pandemic shutdown. There are so many empty buildings, couldn’t some be open for the homeless. @CTVMontreal pic.twitter.com/3j3jSagl3B

— Cosmo Santamaria (@cosmoCTV) January 21, 2021

“Bring back some sense of order and public health to the area,” Fo Niemi of CRARR, a human rights association, told Global News.

Niemi said that the encampment was a threat to the livelihood of residents and tourists, given its close proximity to the Palais des Congrès, the city's convention centre.

“We don’t want to have tourists and convention goers of the cities and countries coming here and all they see is homeless encampments and conditions that are not livable, not human,” Niemi said.

Nearby residents agreed action had to be taken.

This is homeless man washing himself in a water fountain in your riding. He startled me as he screamed unintelligible comments, in a foreign language, at nobody in particular. This is the reality of living in Quebec. pic.twitter.com/3Q84hxzSLQ

— Natasha Montreal Live Free or Die (@NatashaMontreal) June 24, 2024

Karima Alsusaini, a local resident, told Global News the homeless residents at the encampment would “attack” passersby and follow people home.

“There has to be a sustained intervention on the part of the city to keep the area clean,” said Niemi.