CALGARY – A judge has ruled the Occupy Calgary protestors must vacate Olympic Plaza by Friday.
The campers have until 5:00 p.m. on Friday, December 9th to remove all their tents and materials. If the protestors do not leave they could be arrested.
“The judge is quite clear about that in his order that his expectation is that there is compliance and failure to comply will result in criminal contempt and they will be brought before the court and they will have to explain to a judge why they felt they shouldn’t comply with those orders,” says Calgary Bylaw Services boss Bill Bruce.
In his written decision, Chief Justice Neil Wittmann says he does not believe the City is interfering with the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
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The injunction also prevents the protestors from camping in any other park or land owned by the city without a proper permit.
The protestor’s legal representative Ben Christansen, who does not have a law degree, says they have received no written notice from the city.
“To date, the City of Calgary has not produced any copy of any said order for that injunction. Until such time as we receive either written confirmation of that or I myself receive personal confirmation by telephone call from Justice Wittmann I can only believe that that is not the case,” says Christansen.
The protestors have made Olympic Plaza home since mid-October.
Vancouver and Victoria also successfully used court orders to dismantle Occupy encampments in their cities.
Read Chief Justic Neil Wittman’s ruling:
Occupy Calgary: Chief Justice Wittmann Ruling – Dec. 6, 2011
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