Editor’s Note: This post will be updated in the evening as events unfold in front of Nelson’s city hall.
The city installed this sign over the weekend. A close look reveals its from the city campground, but those words have been taped over. Photo by Chris Shepherd.
1:22 p.m.
Click this image to download the PDF of the eviction notice.
After a month and a half in front of city hall, the City of Nelson gave the Occupy Nelson group an eviction notice but members of the group say they will still be there once 4 p.m. rolls around.
Four this afternoon – Wednesday, Nov. 30 – is the deadline but Brett Rhyno, one of the 10 campers who spend nights in front of 310 Front Street, says they have a right to be there.
Speaking to the Nelson Post earlier this afternoon, Rhyno said the eviction notice is illegal. The city is citing a city bylaw for their authority to move the group but the country’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms trumps that, he says.
“We’re here for peaceful assembly,” says Rhyno. “The Charter overrules municipal bylaws.”
The campers have been in front of city hall since Saturday, Oct. 15 when roughly 500 people converged on city hall to express their discontent with the current economic realities facing the world.
A call for support
Rhyno says they’ve put a call out to the community to support them at 4 p.m. He’s hoping for a good turnout.
“It would show the community wants to engage in meaningful occupation,” Rhyno says. “It’s a litmus test for us.”
So what if few people show up to support the campers? Rhyno says that would show they need to do a better job reaching out to the community.
“The camp is supposed to be a springboard to create the change we want to be,” says Rhyno.
The camp has been a fixture in front of city hall since the Oct. 15 rally. There was a temporary relocation on Friday, Nov. 11, when the campers made room for the Remembrance Day ceremony, which packs the green space in front of city hall with hundreds of residents.
The campers have been in regular contact with city staff. There were negotiations to provide a power hookup for the camp which fell through. The citys’ fire chief also talked with the group about potential fire hazards and a compromise appeared to be reached. This came out at the Nov. 21 council meeting.
According to the press release about the eviction, the city offered Occupy Nelson power to feed a kiosk to inform people about their efforts. That offer was refused, reads the press release.
The live blog begins here
3:58 p.m.
A crowd of about 30 people have gathered in front of city hall. No sign of a bylaw officer yet.
There’s a sign on the teepee that reads “Sinixt Nation” and below that:
The City of Nelson, mayor and councillors continue against the Sinixt. We’re re-occupying occupied land.
4:08 p.m.
A man says the Occupy Movement is bringing a hope for Nelson. The man says he’s a homeowner in Nelson and he supports this movement.
We can work on this issue, he says. Evicting this courageous group of people is wrong, he says. The message of this movement is our country is no longer operating as a democracy that serves the best interests of the people.
The choice is simple, he says. The choices are simple. Lead, follow or get out of the way. The Occupy Movement stands for peace, he says.
“Mister mayor, council and people of Nelson, will you listen?” he asks. “Please join with me in giving thanks and welcome them and their message of hope for a better future.”
A talk with the mayor
I just off the phone with Mayor John Dooley. He called me from Ottawa.
When asked why the city served this eviction notice, he told me it was time the group on the front lawn moved on.
I think they’ve lost their messaging. The conditions are not very good outside, to say the least. It was time for them to move on.
I related Ryno’s comment that they’re exercising their rights and freedoms by being camped in front of city hall. Here’s what he had to say:
“So are we,” says Dooley. “We’ve allowed them to exercise their right and there’s no problem with people coming down there to protest or demonstrate. But we’re saying theyc can’t live there.
“What they’re doing is actually living on that site.
Dooley says the city worked closely with the campers and tried to come up with a “made in Nelson” solution but couldn’t come to an agreement.
Dooley says if the group is going to stay, the city will have to get a court order to have them removed.
At the end of the day they can drag this thing into court and we’re quite prepared to go there,” says Dooley. “But that’s a lack of respect for the community, for council and for tax dollars that people give us to do other things in the community.”
Back to the live blog
4:20 p.m.
A few more people have gathered here, maybe bringing the crowd up to 40. A woman just played guitar and sang for the crowd.
A man just announced there is a microphone for people to speak the the crowd if they like.
Earlier there was a strong disagreement between some members of the group. Two men saying the teepee belonged to them wanted to take the teepee with them. A supporter of the Occupy Nelson group was furious. After some heated words the teepee is still here and the men went their separate ways.
One man says the Occupy Edmonton group was removed by the police at 4 a.m. last week. He asks for people to volunteer to stay with them tonight in case the Nelson Police Department come in the middle of the night.
The atmosphere is very muted here. People are chatting while others are leaving. The temperature, according to Environment Canada, is four degrees, but it feels cooler.
4:40 p.m.
Andrew says he’s been camping here for six years and he says he’s received a lot of support from the community. They’ve brought food and warm clothes.
He shares with the audience what he’s been thinking about over the past weeks.
What is our role in this scheme of life? he asks. Is it to make money? No, Andrew says. He asks them to know what their fundamental purpose is. I would say the brightest and most crowning human achievement is compassion. He asks people to consider what compassion is and how it fits into their life.
I’m going to close this live blog. Please feel free to comment below or at the Nelson Post Facebook page.
Good night.
By: Bradley Roulston
