EDMONTON – For the first time since having their camp dismantled by police just over two months ago, Occupy Edmonton protesters are coming back out of the shadows and once again making themselves heard.
On Wednesday, a day when post-secondary students across the country staged rallies to demand improved post-secondary funding, the Occupy Edmonton group decided to stand in solidarity with the U of A Student’s Faculty and staff by staging a protest at the university.
“We want to see less budget cuts, less faculty cuts and a freeze on tuition. What’s happening in schools right now is ridiculous, and is unfair. Education is a right and it’s a public good to society,” said Katie Nelson, a spokesperson for Occupy Edmonton. “Why are we charging our youth and our children so much to be leaders?”
The demonstrators began their march at Ezio Faraone Park, and made their way across the High Level Bridge holding signs and chanting slogans like “Education is a right.” But before they reached their intended destination, the protesters were informed that they were not allowed on university property.
Expanding on a message posted on the official U of A blog, the university’s provost, Carl Amrhein, explained the administration’s reasoning:
“University officials tried to contact the Occupy Edmonton organizer, our calls were disconnected. So we have no idea what they’re going to do, except what they have on their Facebook. Their Facebook says very clearly that they’re determined to set up an encampment on campus, that’s all the info we’ve had from them, he said. Adding, “we see this as an operational issue, not a philosophical issue. we will not allow people to set up illegal encampments on university properties.”
While police did issue some tickets to protesters, no arrests were made and the group eventually left the area, moving its protest to Gazebo Park.
Occupy Edmonton members plan to meet Wednesday evening to determine their next move.
Here’s how the public battle unfolded on Twitter:
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