'People of Winnipeg' Facebook page outlet for racism, says activist

A Facebook page that makes fun of Winnipeggerswith photos has outraged several people, including a local activist thatworks with the homeless,but the page's administrator is adamant about keeping it running.

The "People of Winnipeg" pagehas more than 17,000 members and containsposts that range from mocking people with disabilities to making racial slurs about multiple ethnic groups.

Many of the images posted on the page show people passed out on the street and worse.

"People [are] making fun of the homeless and the drunk people and just disgusting pictures that aredeveloping,"AltheaGuiboche, who hands out food to the city's homeless every week, told CBC News on Monday.

"I can't stand for that. I can't even believe Winnipeg people are taking part in that."

The page's administrator,Ricky Paskie, said he and the other people behind "People of Winnipeg"do their best to take down anything that could be deemed offensive,but with more than 200 posts a day that can be difficult.

"If we do find that it's racist or indecent for people, it will be deleted," Paskiesaid. "That's not our goal to make fun of anyone [who is] mentally ill, homeless."

But Paskie noted that there are also plenty of posts that are positive about the city.

"Our intent [is] just to show the funny things and the things you see in Winnipeg whether it's someone dancing at the bus stop or a guy wearing a gorilla suit," he said.

'It's not right'

Britt James said she was mocked by people on the "People of Winnipeg" page after someone uploaded a photograph of her and another woman inside a medical clinic.

"All I could think of was, 'How could you take a photo of somebody in a medical clinic?' You know, how is this even funny?" she said.

"To have people you don't know publicly make fun of you, it's not right."

James said the page's administrators initially would not remove the photo, and Facebook told her the image did notbreach any of its terms.

She said shetook matters into her own hands by contactingthe original poster's workplace andthreatening legal action.

The photo has since been removed, but James said the damage has already been done.

"The majority of things, if you actually look on there, are hurtful, they're spiteful, they're rude. It's harassing, it's bullying," she said.

Representatives from Facebook did not return calls seeking comment.

Facebook user responds

Jesse James, who has been a part of the Facebook group for more than a year, wrote a response to critics of the pagesaying, "This group is about posting pictures of people who are out in public doing crazy things that may seem very unrealistic but are very real.

"The group is about finding the funny moments that are right in front of us every day because we live in a crazy city. This group is not here for people to be racist."

ButBritt James saidshe wants the Facebook page removedor completely overhauled. She plans to meet with a lawyer.

Guiboche, also known as the Bannock Lady,said she has been personally attacked on the Facebook page for speaking out against it, but she believes the page does not have to be shut down as long as it stops beinga forum for racism and hurting the homeless.

"It just goes to further dehumanize them," she said.

"We don't need them publicly parading our homeless around for public comments. Why don't they just step up and help them instead?"