OPPENHEIMER PARK - Strong camper, supporter, legal observer and media presence at the Homeless Tent City kept Vancouver Police at bay last night. The City of Vancouver had a court order for the VPD to move in and dismantle the three-month-old Indigenous camp and arrest campers as of 10pm, but they held off.
Many of the more than 250 campers have already packed up, but many remain at the site - vowing to defy the eviction order.
A brief attempt to enter the camp last night just after 10pm by two VPD officers and a fire marshall were met with calls for an immediate wall of supporters linking arms around the camp and the police quickly retreated to their idling VPD ``Mobile Command Centre."
The most popular rumour is that police will enter the camp and make arrests of remaining homeless campers early Thursday morning.
UPDATE
THURSDAY MORNING: Police have moved into the park along with City of Vancouver municipal workers. Remaining campers are being offered a blue bin for their stuff and the City's promise to keep it for up to a month without destroying it. Lots of people`s stuff is getting thrown into garbage trucks. More VPD cameras have reportedly been set up around the park. Campers are being offered shelter beds but not housing. Remaining campers say they have nowhere to go. Four arrests reported.
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