UPDATE: City officials dismantle Occupy Nelson camp; rally planned for Friday afternoon
By Nelson Daily Editor
Although their camp has been removed by City officials, Occupy Nelson protestors vow to continue to occupy the grounds in front of City Hall, albeit with less of a permanent presence.
With Nelson Police Department officers, bylaw officers and firefighters pitching in, a Nelson City council ordinance to vacate the grounds in front of City Hall was executed around noon on Thursday.
Tents, a teepee and other structures and signs were moved after the camp was deemed a “Safety hazard” by the City and gave 48 hours for the protestors to move on.
On Wednesday Occupy Nelson had a community gathering of around sixty people at City Hall to oppose the eviction of the occupiers. The gathering was successful, said Occupy Nelson member Kendra Cooper, and they were able to pass the 4 p.m. eviction time and continue throughout the evening “with heartfelt speeches and uplifting music.”
The occupiers still held the space at City Hall Thursday morning, but that changed around noon.
“Mayor (John) Dooley was heard saying that he will now get an injunction to remove occupiers,” said Cooper.
The injunction could about $20,000.
“Dooley is willing to spend this money for an injunction instead of keeping it and creating a safe space for homeless people to sleep through the winter,” Cooper said.
Despite passionate protest from Occupy Nelson members, no violence was reported.
Cooper said the next action will be an Occupy Nelson rally called Voices From The Street II, a follow-up rally from last Friday, on Friday, Dec. 2, 1 p.m. in front of City Hall.
Cooper said thanks to the efforts of the Nelson Committee on Homelessness, six extra beds have been created for winter.
“Occupy Nelson commends and supports the additional bed spaces,” said the Occupy members in a joint press release Thursday. “However, what we do not commend is Mayor Dooley using this as justification for attempting to evict Occupy.”
It was re-iterated again that Occupy Nelson would like to see the City campground open for winter, and more affordable housing created soon.
From Monday
The days of Nelson’s Occupy movement might be coming to an end.
On Monday afternoon the City issued an eviction notice to the group of people occupying the grounds in front of City Hall.
In a release on Monday, City manager Kevin Cormack wrote that the group has 48 hours in which to remove all structures and vehicles from City grounds.
“Council has been supportive of the Occupy Nelson group’s right to public protest and the message they are communicating,” the release stated.
“However, tents and structures on public land are in violation of City bylaws.”
The eviction notice comes less than one week after the City offered to provide electricity to a kiosk that the group could use to share information with residents during business hours, in exchange for removal of the tents and structures on City grounds.
It also comes two days after the Occupy Nelson movement rallied in front of City Hall on Friday, sending a message to the City that they would not compromise.
Last Wednesday Occupy Nelson member Brett Rhyno said the homelessness issue in Nelson was such that even the little amount of aid Occupy has provided has become part of people’s lives and they could not leave.
“We cannot in good conscious remove our protest camp without a tenable solution that provides those in need with a safe space for the upcoming winter months,” he said.
But councilors and City staff have met with social service providers to identify solutions for those people in the group who are homeless. Nelson CARES Society has confirmed that six emergency shelter beds are now available for some of the members.
“Council is hopeful that the Occupy Nelson group will respect the wishes of council and will remove all tents and other structures by Wednesday afternoon,” said the release. “Council’s eviction order is consistent with other orders that have been upheld by the courts across the country.”
Cormack indicted in the release the City does not want to go to court. Court orders against Occupy groups in other cities have upheld municipal bylaws.
“However, the court process is extremely costly to municipalities, and as a result, to tax payers,” he said in the release.
The eviction notice stated structures and vehicles remaining on the City Hall grounds after the 48-hour period are at risk of being removed and disposed of without further notice.
The Occupy Nelson movement members have yet to comment on what their next move is.
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