Anger around Victoria’s tent city is growing and several residents living in the area say they’re not going to take it anymore and have formed a new group called, “Mad as Hell“.

Stephen Hammond, one of the group organizers and a resident living near Mount Edwards, says he is fed up with tent city disrupting the community and the ongoing thefts in the area.

“A number of people we’ve heard are afraid of saying and doing anything, and I thought what is this, New York and the 1970’s or Chicago during the depression, I mean what kind of city are we living in, in which the thugs who are over in tent city – coz’ these aren’t really homeless people – the ones who are there, the real homeless people have found other places even as bad as it is, they’ve found other places.“

Hammond tells Victoria Buzz many residents are no longer reporting the criminal activity in the neighborhood and crime statistics do not reflect what is actually going on.

“These thugs are intimidating people and so people are afraid in their own community. Is this Victoria and is this what the mayor, city council, Rich Coleman, the Premier and the Province and social agencies want? People being fearful of being in their homes – it’s outrageous.“

The new group is hosting a meeting on Thursday, April 7, and is hoping to get like-minded tent city opponents together.

Residents and businesses who have been negatively impacted will be given a chance to speak.

Mike Morden, from Maple Ridge, will be speaking about their successful campaign to get the government to back down and not impose no-restriction housing in residential neighbourhoods.

The group is hoping politicians will be in the attendance to hear the concerns of those speaking.

Mad As Hell’s meeting is happening Thursday, April 7 at 7:00pm at the Harbour Towers Hotel.

UPDATE on Monday night, just after 10pm the following post was made on the Facebook page of the group, advising that the hotel had withdrawn the venue: