Richmond residents protest location of safe injecting room

Richmond residents and business owners fed up with the safe injecting room trial have taken to the streets in protest, saying they’ve had bottles thrown at them, their children scared and businesses forced to close since the trial began.

Business owners and residents of Richmond protest against the location of the safe injecting room. Picture: Tony Gough

Richmond residents claim used needles and drug deals have taken over their neighbourhood since a safe injecting room was opened.

More than 200 people opposed to the location of the facility – which is near a school, community services and businesses – took to the streets on Saturday in a bid to have it moved.

One resident – who did not want to be named – said she had seen people injecting drugs outside her front gate and had a water bottle thrown at her when she asked the drug user to leave.

“He came up in a rage at me,” she said.

“He had a water bottle and he threw water all over me.”

Business owners and residents of Richmond say their community is being destroyed as a consequence of the facility’s current location. Picture: Tony Gough

The group marched along Victoria St and Lennox St to express their frustrations. Picture: Tony Gough

Residents, community groups and business owners marched along Victoria St and Lennox St to express their frustration.

Addressing the angry crowd, Richmond resident David Horseman, 48, said the facility could not be successful in its current location and was “destroying the community”.

“The injecting room is a welcome attempt at progressive drug reform,” Mr Horseman said.

“But we have to acknowledge that the trial has got it wrong.”

President of the Victoria Street Business Association Meca Ho, said the room was a risk to children in the area.

“My daughter is scared of the anti-social behaviour that’s happening here,” Mr Ho said.

He said he had been forced to close a restaurant he had owned for 25 years because of reduced foot traffic to Victoria Street, which he attributed to the injecting room.

“I am very upset,” Mr Ho said.

Police watch on at the peaceful protest in Richmond. Picture: Tony Gough

Residents have reported a number of unpleasant experiences since the safe injecting room opened. Picture: Tony Gough

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Richmond resident Fiona Simmons, 48, said she had to tell her six-year-old and eight-year-old children about drugs, long before she wanted to, because they were seeing people acting “strangely”, affected by drugs.

“I don’t believe children need to know any of that, but now they do,” she said.

The safe injecting room has been plagued by controversy since the trial started last year.

In late October, two staff employed by the North Richmond Community Health were among eight people arrested for trafficking drugs.

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