Occupy Calgary/Do Not Merge

[Calgaryflamesgirl34]

So basically its just people who want to drink, sleep around and not work or go to class for a few weeks? Seems like the real way to make major changes would be by writing your MP to get a bill passed...

[peter12]

Originally Posted by flameswin

I'm still tyring to figure out how there was $40000 in damages.

Well, they've probably made a mess of things, and city crews will be required to come in and clean the park. A few crews on for half a dozen shifts will probably come to $40,000.

[CaptainCrunch]

They should take the total cost divide it by the number of protesters and present each of them with a bill.

Your free to assemble and your free to do the whole free speech thing, but you're not free to cost us.

[Dion]

Put em to work fixing all the damage they caused.

[CaptainCrunch]

Screw that they'd probably do a shoddy job and cause even more damage.

Give em an easy job like busing them up to banff to scrub the camp toilets.

[Stay Golden]

Once it becomes time for the Calgary Olympic Plaza winter park maintenance to be done. The protestors should be removed and if they want to freeze in tents relocate to St. Patrick Island.
Also the private and public events that are booked for the Calgary Olympic Park should have priority over the Occupy Calgary fringe community.
It will be interesting to see how Mayor Barney deals with this and the police will eventualy will have to take action to have them removed as they probably will not comply.

JMO but they seem like a bunch of aimless individuals hanging out. If they want to pass themselves off as protesters it doesn't appear to be genuine.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

Screw that they'd probably do a shoddy job and cause even more damage.

Give em an easy job like busing them up to banff to scrub the camp toilets.

Before you do that, get out the fire hoses and give em a good shower. Throw in a bar of soap for good measure. They probably stink to high heaven.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

They should take the total cost divide it by the number of protesters and present each of them with a bill.

Your free to assemble and your free to do the whole free speech thing, but you're not free to cost us.

I guess they're pretty well protected under the constitution. On CBC they were talking about this and the fact that the municipalities are somewhat powerless. I guess in that context I have to agree...I wouldn't want to see these rights infringed upon. Without them we do stand to lose a lot as a society.

Thankfully we aren't in Vancouver where they've got a tent city set-up. Hopefully those predictions of a long cold winter come true here and those numbers should fall pretty fast.

[burn_this_city]

Bring in the mob, let them break up the strike 1930's style.

[Boblobla]

Originally Posted by burn_this_city

Bring in the mob, let them break up the strike 1930's style.

It is sad that this is the only way to get these squatters out of the park.

I respect how the city is handling this but it is getting a little unreal.

I was reading an interview where they were talking to the people "Occupying" the island and they said they were going to stay well past the Oct. 31 date, mainly because 95% of the people there had nowhere else to go.

There was an interview with one woman who said she liked the tent city because the hours were much better than the "almost prison like" restrictions of the shelters in Calgary. Does anyone know the ratio of people who are at this occupy nonsense who are not homeless?

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

Apparently when 660News sent down a reporter today - she was told she was not allowed to record any of the speeches being made without permission from the occupiers - despite the fact they were public speeches in a public area.

Yup that'll get ya some good media attention.

So, these clowns are fighting for "rights" they can barely articulate by
-Damaging public property
-Denying other groups the right to use the plaza
-Denying freedom of the press, and consequently, denying free speech

What a bunch of losers.

[Regular_John]

I get why the City/Police don't want to go in and start busting skulls. But why are they not writing tickets? When is Olympic Plaza suppose to be vacant each night? 11:00pm?

So why are the police not rolling in at 11:15 and writing up a ticket to every single camper, then coming back an hour later an doing it again, and basically giving the squatters a trespassing ticket for each and every hour between 11:00pm & 6:00am?

Is it a charter right to pick & choose which laws you want to obey? Because I'd really prefer to spend my $90 on dinner with the wife rather than a transit pass next month. If I get busted for not paying the fair can I pull out a copy of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and continue on with my day?

Cuz that would actually be pretty sweet.

[GP_Matt]

If you called your plan Occupy Transit and spent your time espousing your views then I think it would be acceptable.

[c.t.ner]

As someone who is very sympathetic to the ideas and concepts being brought up by the Occupy Movement in the US, this is just embarrassing.

Occupy Calgary was an iffy idea at the start, but now it's just a joke. It hasn't done anything to bring up constructive dialogue of the underlying Occupy issues, it's mainly just a thinly veiled attempt to protest the Harper government. If anything it's just diluted some real issues that need to be discussed (mainly because some of these issues aren't as applicable to the average Canadian at the moment).

At this point the Occupy Calgary people just needs to pack it up and leave. It's been a colossal waste of time and I hate to say it, but it's been very self serving for the people there. They've really brought nothing to the table. If you're going to start an occupy movement do something with it. Bring a message, use the media to get a concise debate going, rally support from like minded groups and take action. Just because you set up a tent it doesn't mean that people are going to support your cause, you've got to earn it and the people in Occupy Calgary have really failed at that.

[First Lady]

Some comments from my verbose, opinionated husband....

Small excerpt:

I suggest that people should park their RVs and fifth-wheels in Calgary parks. Heck you can even camp there when you please. Dig a firepit for yourself. Vandalize the local bathrooms and displace other people using the park. It is OK. Just claim some vapid complaint about the way the world is and claim your action is your means of expression.

Full commentary: http://www.corymorgan.com/?p=558

[Cowperson]

Occupy Atlanta spent the night at the Martin Luther King monument after being evicted from their original park. The King Center is federal jurisdiction and they were told they would face federal charges if they didn't leave. As of this morning they did. They plan to move to private property.

The Occupy situation in Los Angeles is perhaps the most interesting. The lead editorial in the LA Times this morning:

Right about now, we suspect City Council President Eric Garcetti is regretting telling protesters with the Occupy Los Angeles movement camping outside City Hall that they were welcome to "stay as long as you need to." And Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa might be rethinking his decision to hand out ponchos when the weather turned wet. It's even possible (though unlikely) that Councilman Richard Alarcon is thinking twice about pandering to the movement by using it as an excuse to resurrect his misguided proposal to shift L.A. funds to community-oriented financial institutions, a move that could cost the city at least $58 million.

Four weeks after protesters converged on the Civic Center, they are wearing out their welcome. Even some of the city's most liberal politicians, who initially embraced them, are trying to figure out a graceful way of getting them to go home.

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/...,2391624.story

And they're killing the grass and trees.

Cowperson

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Slava

I guess they're pretty well protected under the constitution. On CBC they were talking about this and the fact that the municipalities are somewhat powerless. I guess in that context I have to agree...I wouldn't want to see these rights infringed upon. Without them we do stand to lose a lot as a society.

Thankfully we aren't in Vancouver where they've got a tent city set-up. Hopefully those predictions of a long cold winter come true here and those numbers should fall pretty fast.

The Constitution shouldn't stop the city from fining them or billing them for damage to the park and destruction of the outdoor bathroom facilities for example.

They're there at the suffereance of the citr of Calgary and its citizen's and they are starting to become an inconvienience. The city is also paying out of pocket for things like the increased police presence, the damage to the area and the delay in maintenance work.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Boblobla

It is sad that this is the only way to get these squatters out of the park.

I respect how the city is handling this but it is getting a little unreal.

I was reading an interview where they were talking to the people "Occupying" the island and they said they were going to stay well past the Oct. 31 date, mainly because 95% of the people there had nowhere else to go.

There was an interview with one woman who said she liked the tent city because the hours were much better than the "almost prison like" restrictions of the shelters in Calgary. Does anyone know the ratio of people who are at this occupy nonsense who are not homeless?

It really stopped being a organized protest the day it started, most of them don't even know whats going on. Its literally become a embarressing disgusting shanty town that was smelling ripe when I went by the other day.

[First Lady]

Originally Posted by Slava

I guess they're pretty well protected under the constitution. On CBC they were talking about this and the fact that the municipalities are somewhat powerless. I guess in that context I have to agree...I wouldn't want to see these rights infringed upon. Without them we do stand to lose a lot as a society.

Thankfully we aren't in Vancouver where they've got a tent city set-up. Hopefully those predictions of a long cold winter come true here and those numbers should fall pretty fast.

They can still "protest" every day and not break by-laws.
By-law doesn't allow any activity after 11 PM http://www.calgary.ca/CSPS/Parks/Pag...pic-Plaza.aspx

So no overnight camping.

[Bring_Back_Shantz]

Originally Posted by Boblobla

It is sad that this is the only way to get these squatters out of the park.

I respect how the city is handling this but it is getting a little unreal.

I was reading an interview where they were talking to the people "Occupying" the island and they said they were going to stay well past the Oct. 31 date, mainly because 95% of the people there had nowhere else to go.

There was an interview with one woman who said she liked the tent city because the hours were much better than the "almost prison like" restrictions of the shelters in Calgary. Does anyone know the ratio of people who are at this occupy nonsense who are not homeless?

I don't know the overall numbers, but my cousin is down there, and he's decidedly not homeless.
I'm pretty sure the fact that if he gets kicked out of there he'll be going back to his parents proablbya $2 MM house up on signal hill means he's actually part of the 1% he's "Protesting" against.

My cousin may be down there, but I can say with all sincerity, I hope they all get tear gassed.
The city has shown them a huge ammount of courtesy, respect, and tollerance, and if they refuse to recriprocate by clearing out so a pre booked event can go forward in a public space, then they deserve whatever they get.