Hundreds march in Halifax this morning in support of Occupy Nova Scotia. Photo by Adrienne Silnicki.
Halifax-based Council of Canadians health care campaigner Adrienne Silnicki reports that hundreds are marching in Halifax at this hour in support of Occupy Nova Scotia. And Atlantic regional organizer Angela Giles has just noted that a confrontation with the police has begun.
Earlier this morning, CTV reported, “Police arrested 14 people yesterday as they dismantled the (Occupy Nova Scotia) protest encampment. …Police say they started arresting people after protesters resisted officers who were trying to take down the tents.” The Canadian Press adds, “In Victoria Park on Friday, police were seen taking down tarps, pulling up tents and packing personal belongings into green garbage bags as some campers stood by. About 200 people gathered in the park while protesters also dismantled more than a dozen tents and loaded them into a van headed for a nearby church. …The group chanted various slogans under darkening skies, directing their criticism at Halifax Mayor Peter Kelly, who issued the order to have them removed.”
A Nanos poll released last week found that 58 per cent of Canadians have a favourable or somewhat favourable view of Occupy Wall Street, and by extension the Occupy movement. In Atlantic Canada, 55.3 per cent have a favourable or somewhat favourable view of Occupy Wall Street (compared to 28.5 percent who view it unfavourably or somewhat unfavourably).
The forcible dismantling of Occupy Nova Scotia by the city and its police force on Friday follows the tearing down of Occupy London on Wednesday. And CKOM reports this morning, “(Occupy Regina) had until 8 am Saturday to vacate the park according to the notice but they remained with tents pitched. As of about 8:45 am there had been no sign of police who were expected to begin ticketing the protestors instead of making arrests. Protestor Adam Thornton said they weren’t really expecting enforcement to come in until Monday.”
The occupations in Toronto, Vancouver, Victoria, Quebec City and other cities also face a forcible eviction.
Postmedia reports that, “Constitutional law experts in Calgary were warning city officials to tread carefully, as removing Occupy Calgary from Olympic Plaza could impinge on the constitutional rights of demonstrators. The rights to freedom of expression and assembly overrule the bylaw prohibiting camping in a public park — to a point. The Charter of Rights and Freedoms does acknowledge reasonable limits to these rights. …Peter Carver, chairman of the centre for constitutional studies with the University of Alberta’s faculty of law, said there is a ‘significant possibility’ the courts could rule against the city if the municipal government were to confiscate the protesters’ gear. ‘I think it’s for a good reason that both the City of Calgary and other municipalities dealing with similar occupations are doing as they appear to have been doing to date,’ Carver said. ‘And that is to be cautious in addressing these questions and to afford a significant leeway.'”
Occupy Regina has argued that the City of Regina violated their human right to sanitation when the City ordered the removal of their portable toilet, which had been provided by the Council of Canadians. Occupy Regina had previously been using a makeshift toilet in a tent.
