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The DNC shares many of the goals of the anti-gentrification protesters, but feels that the specific actions in front of 350 Carrall St. have served their purpose. The DNC therefor disagrees with the continuation of this action, and calls on the protesters to move on.

Though the unsubtle hint is four months late, it’s nevertheless encouraging to see the DNC – an organisation that has real work to do – finally making sense (however sheepishly) on the Pidgin protest. Attacking a local, independent business – a restaurant – was lazy scapegoating for effect, which is to say the least imaginative and most unhelpful form of dissent in the arsenal of those who would do this sort of thing for a living and the cause of right. There are honest to goodness fights to be had on (and for) the Downtown Eastside. This one was an embarrassing distraction from the beginning.

But will it end?