A Kelowna woman, her boyfriend and another couple were in a park, playing guitar, fixing a bike chain and otherwise just relaxing on a nice day recently, when two officers rode up to them on bikes and told the couples they were not allowed to hang out in groups larger than two people.

The woman, who is experiencing homelessness, said they were just 香蕉视频直播渢alking like normal people.香蕉视频直播�

This event, according to Anna (her real name has been changed to protect her anonymity for personal safety reasons), is reflective of many incidents where the Kelowna homeless population is subjected to unjustified discrimination by authorities and bystanders as they香蕉视频直播檙e often told to scram when they occupy public space.

香蕉视频直播淭hey treat you like a piece of s香蕉视频直播攖. They treat you as if you were nothing. You香蕉视频直播檙e a drug addict, you aren香蕉视频直播檛 worth anything, your belongings are only scrap garbage,香蕉视频直播� Anna said.

READ MORE: From homeless to housed: A Kelowna woman香蕉视频直播檚 journey

Officials with Kelowna香蕉视频直播檚 bylaw department and Kelowna Downtown on Call, a group co-ordinated by the Downtown Kelowna Association (DKA) that is dedicated to keeping the streets of Kelowna clean, deny the allegations, saying they operate within the confines of municipal, provincial and federal laws, and even ease up in some cases.

Mark Burley, executive director of the DKA, said the Downtown on Call team hardly operates in public areas such as parks.

They monitor the outside of business fronts and do not move people just on the basis of how they look.

City of Kelowna bylaw manager David Gazely said officials 香蕉视频直播渁bsolutely (do) not香蕉视频直播� move people unless they are breaking a bylaw.

Several local bylaws provide bylaw officers with the authority to move people if they block a sidewalk, set up an abode or an encampment, panhandle in various public spaces (such as next to an ATM or storefront), are the cause of nuisance in public parks, have open liquor or paraphernalia in public parks or are found littering.

But according to some people on the other side of those laws, that may not always be the case.

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香蕉视频直播�(If someone looks homeless) they香蕉视频直播檙e going to get the attention of bylaws or the security companies or the RCMP way more often than anyone else,香蕉视频直播� Cornerstone Shelter case manager James Smith said.

Being both the case manager of a major social service in Kelowna and a person who was once homeless, Smith said he is all too familiar with being moved out of places he should have been allowed to remain.

Harold Smoke, 46, was homeless for at least half of his life before getting housed approximately six years ago.

In his time being homeless, he said he could never sit anywhere without being disturbed.

香蕉视频直播淎s soon as you sit down and they (authorities) enter the park, there will be a family sitting 10 feet away, but they will come straight to us: 香蕉视频直播極h, you guys can香蕉视频直播檛 sit here, you香蕉视频直播檙e camping.香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈��

A number of others claim they have been kicked out of parks for raising an umbrella香蕉视频直播攕omething families and beach-goers often do.

Most people who experience homelessness said they understand the laws, but feel as long as they are acting respectfully, they shouldn香蕉视频直播檛 be subject to discrimination and unlawful requests to move.

香蕉视频直播淭here are some people, the ones who have hit rock bottom who f香蕉视频直播攌 it up for everybody. They disobey the rules,香蕉视频直播� said Jared Charles Dayley, a 24-year-old who has been homeless for most of his life.

Dayley said daily run-ins with authorities are often the result of stereotyping, based on a minority of individuals who have made it a homeless staple to double as a drug addict and criminal.

James 香蕉视频直播淲olverine香蕉视频直播� Redding, homeless for almost five years, said he doesn香蕉视频直播檛 have any problem with authority figures because they香蕉视频直播檙e 香蕉视频直播渁ll amicable people.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 usually the street people who are stuck-up snobs香蕉视频直播� they香蕉视频直播檙e just denouncing authority. If (authorities) ask you nicely to leave, you just get up and move.香蕉视频直播�

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Gazley has a camera that looks over Leon Avenue. From his office chair, he can see obstructed sidewalks, where someone has attempted to set up a tent or shelter and other non-permitted activity. But the street that Gazley looks at is vastly different in the eyes of someone who lives on it.

A recent UBC Okanagan PhD graduate, who completed her thesis on homeless social capital and its relationship to occupying space, said people who experience homelessness harness a sense of territorial belonging in relation to Leon Avenue.

香蕉视频直播淭hey香蕉视频直播檒l talk about 香蕉视频直播榯he Kings of Leon香蕉视频直播� and a sense of ownership,香蕉视频直播� Shelley Cook said, adding it almost acts as a retreat for people who experience homeless and feel disconnected from society.

The division between mainstream and homeless culture further entrenches people who experience homelessness.

香蕉视频直播淔or homeless people to get meals, to get support, they have to be behaving in ways that meet people香蕉视频直播檚 expectations,香蕉视频直播� said Cook.

香蕉视频直播�(Services) legitimized their presence in public space because they could say, 香蕉视频直播業香蕉视频直播檓 here to reach out for help, so I香蕉视频直播檓 allowed to be here.香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈��

When people are kicked out of those places香蕉视频直播攖he only ones they feel are left for them香蕉视频直播攊t can be detrimental to their psyche and potential to reintegrate, often losing sense of who they are and further disconnecting from the mainstream, Cook said.

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香蕉视频直播淚 think just basic human dignity isn香蕉视频直播檛 being respected,香蕉视频直播� Cook said.

香蕉视频直播淧eople need to have exposure to homeless people in order for the stigma to be reduced.香蕉视频直播�

For some people who experience homelessness, exclusion only makes them want to stay homeless and fall deeper into that lifestyle.

Anna, along with some of the people who line the sidewalks of Leon Avenue with their shopping carts and dirtied belongings, said the idea of sharing space with 香蕉视频直播渘ormal香蕉视频直播� residents can be a pipe dream for some, lost along with their sense of hope and dignity.

香蕉视频直播�(Society) makes you feel like you are not normal,香蕉视频直播� she said.

香蕉视频直播淲ith time, you are going to start thinking that you are not normal.

香蕉视频直播淵ou don香蕉视频直播檛 deserve to just sit beside normal people. You need to go hide somewhere.香蕉视频直播�

(This article is part two of a five-part series on the differing perspectives of the homeless versus mainstream culture and how that stigma associated with being homeless directly affects their relationships between authorities, public space and themselves.)