Judge gives Occupy protesters until Monday to remove tents

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VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – A BC Supreme Court judge has granted the City of Vancouver’s request for an injunction against Occupy Vancouver.

The protesters have until 2 p.m. on Monday to take down all their tents and structures. After that, the city has the right to take them down.

Very unhappy Occupy Vancouver supporters yelled and swore in court following the ruling.

Associate Chief Justice Anne McKenzie agreed with city lawyers who argued the protesters were trespassing on city land.

Occupy Vancouver medic Mathew Kagis called the decision disappointing.

“This is the same party line that comes down every time an injunction – just like in the bad old days of Clayoquot Sound – is asked for, while the constitutionality of something is decided,” he said. “And she had the opportunity to be part of a change. And she chose to maintain an unmaintainable status quo.”

Lawyers for the protesters had argued the encampment should be allowed to stay on the grounds the tents were integral to free speech and assembly.

The decision comes a day before voters go to the polls.

Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson said he doesn’t think the court decision will have any impact on the civic election.

He said his focus has been to seek a peaceful resolution to this – thus the BC Supreme Court injunction.

“It’s good to see that we have that now,” he said. “We have the weight of the courts behind us in achieving a peaceful resolution to this. We’ve taken a deliberate and measured approach to this to make sure we don’t have conflict on the site.”

He said he expects no police confrontation and full cooperation from protesters.

Protesters at City Hall

About 30 protesters showed up outside City Hall Friday evening. They were defiant, and seemed prepared to stay put at their art gallery encampment.

“This is going to be in the Supreme Court of Canada, okay? This is not over. Please don’t listen to the orders served to you,” said one man to the crowd.

He then gave advice to the police officers who will be enforcing the injunction.

“I hope you know this is a revolution,” he said. “What happened in Egypt when the revolution started there, is  military and police officers protested against their dictator. I really hope you do the same.”

The protesters threw around the idea of setting up tents at City Hall Monday afternoon.

On Friday, a court in Victoria also ordered campers parked in Centennial Square to pack up by 7 a.m. Saturday. Victoria Mayor Dean Fortin says that if that doesn’t happen, the city will go back to  court on Monday for an enforcement order.

-With files from The Canadian Press

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