It has been almost one week since the tragic events during the Lapu Lapu Festival, and now a business owner is raising concerns with the City of Vancouver.
Donna Fathi owns a salon on Fraser Street and is also the board director for the Sunset on Fraser Business Improvement Association.
A letter she wrote and addressed to the City of Vancouver on Thursday morning is making waves online and has led to much reaction from the public, agreeing with her concerns.
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Fathi spoke about how Lapu Lapu was organized compared to events like Greek Day, Italian Day, Pride, or Car Free Day.
“I couldn’t help notice the stark difference,” she wrote.
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“These events are granted access to main streets and a police presence to ensure safety and flow.”
“In contrast, our event was held in an alley, with no officer support–something that felt both limiting and disheartening for such a proud moment for our community,” she added.
Fathi’s primary request for the City of Vancouver was that it consider how cultural events, “especially those emerging or underrepresented, are supported in terms of space, resources, and security.”
She also called for increased transparency “around the processes for assigning officer support and street closures.”
The City of Vancouver has a website dedicated to folks interested in organizing an event. It includes fees and asks organizers to determine what is required for the event, including policing.
“As someone who has invested over two decades into this neighbourhood and its people, I am committed to celebrating diversity with care, pride, and inclusion. I sincerely hope the City will share that vision.”
We’ve contacted the City of Vancouver for a response to Fathi’s concerns and some of the issues she has raised.
On social media, hundreds of people have commented, tagging the City of Vancouver for attention.
“Please make the necessary changes. This is devastating,” one person wrote.
Another Instagram user said, “I hope your voice gets heard because this is a sentiment that we’re all thinking!!”
Many others have called on the City to “do better.”
The City of Vancouver told Daily Hive that it has the same standards for all events, “but each event is unique.”
The City said, “Activities were held primarily on school grounds, and included some localized road closures and parking restrictions to allow for emergency access and event use, including the 500 and 600 blocks of 43rd Avenue, where food trucks were located.”
“The changing size and scale of events is considered through their permit application process each year.”
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