STORY posted on October 26, 2011 by Lena McFarlane
Occupy Regina, Oskana-Ka-asateki
The Heart of the Prairies Gets Occupied
Originally numbering at seven campers, Occupy Regina now totals over forty. Many are determined to brave the upcoming winter season *
You are one layoff from joining us *
A stockpiled kitchen ready for the long haul *
The final picture ever taken of Lious Riel before being murdered by the new colonial government of Kanada in April of 1885. The execution took place at the RCMP barracks, which sit several blocks west of Occupy Regina today
Banks and crown corporations face off with a growing tent city
Afew blocks west of the occupation, sit the training grounds for Canada's taser toting RCMP
Until you wake up, we will fight for you! *
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Occupy Regina, hit the streets of Oskana-Ka-asateki on Oct 15th with a rally, followed by the set up of a tent community in Victoria Park. Surrounded by daunting towers owned by banks and crown corporations, occupiers have held the space for over one week now, growing in number each day. What started with seven individuals setting up camp on the first night of occupation (followed by swift bylaw harassment) has now blossomed to a forty strong tent city determined to hold the space througout the winter.
Occupy in Regina or rather Oskana-Ka-asateki, takes place on Cree homelands. The location chosen, has born witness to a long history of struggle. A few blocks away from the park, sit Canada's RCMP barracks, used for nearly a century, as a site of countless state sanctioned executions. To the disdain of prairie folks from all creeds and colours, it was here that Metis freedom fighter, Louis Riel was murdered by the illegal government of Kanada in 1885. More recently in 1990, the last tent village to go up in the very park that Occupy is now taking place in, a summer long expression of solidarity with the Mohawk people of Kanestake, took place during the Oka crisis. During that time, blockades were set up and Indigenous folks and allies stood together to decolonize space. This spirit of resistance persists in today's occupation.
The occupation consists of what appears to be a diverse community of residents. As one occupier told us, “you won’t see an occupation with such a diverse slice of people as Occupy Regina, it’s something that makes this particular camp unique and strong”. Unemployed construction workers, ex-reservists, environmentalists, anti-prohibitionists, street punks, young parents, homeless folks, anti poverty and indigenous activists, teenagers and working poor, all call the camp home. With such a mixed group, residents are learning to live alongside one another, making decisions based on collective interest. As described by Brandon, who has been at the camp since day one, “It’s the only place you will see people actually talking and listening respectfully to one another on issues they would normally fight and yell over”. The signs are testament to this diversity in cause and resistance, with messages protesting everything from cuts to education and healthcare, broken treaties, prisons, corporate greed, poverty and inequality, to war and colonialism.
No rigid structure or roles allow occupiers equal say and ownership over the camp. As described by another resident, “people just step up and do what needs to be done, and if someone needs help they just ask for it”.
A communal tent has been set up to accommodate people with nowhere to stay. One night a young couple with an infant came to the camp after being turned away from a shelter. Fellow residents welcomed them into the camp community, helping to make them feel safe and comfortable; one resident described scrambling to find a place to heat a baby bottle, while another ran around downtown for diapers and collected warm gear to keep the family warm throughout the night.
Homelessness and lack of affordable housing is on the rise in Regina, with social services lacking the resources to effectively provide basic needs. As witnessed throughout the night, shelters are at full capacity and people are frequently turned away. In addition to inadequate shelter and housing options for low income people, all soup kitchens are closed on weekends, when many need them the most. This has resulted in a growing number of people joining the occupation, one of the few safe spaces with in the city free from criminalization.
Occupiers describe the reaction from the larger community as being overwhelmingly positive, with donations coming in regularly ranging from food, blankets and other necessities. RPIRG has also committed to contributing $100 per day, supporting the occupation's work towards “social justice”. As one occupier noted, "we are gaining support and attention mainly through word of mouth" with occupiers putting value and time into engaging passers by and the outside community in dialogue and conversation.
Some donations are made by anonymous individuals who avoid conversing with occupiers. Several days ago, one passerby, revealed that a memo was circulated a day prior to the occupation to all Regina crown corporations. Insistent to remain anonymous, he told organizers, that the memo instructed all workers not to participate in the occupation or engage with participants. This news not only indicates the top down suppression of freedoms for working people, but also has many occupiers realizing the power of the movement, and the threat they could be to corporate interests.
Despite the city being colonized by taser toting RCMP who litter the training centre a few blocks away from the Park, organizers state that police have been scarce both in visiting the site, and in confrontations with demonstrators. Organizers, stated that following the first day of occupation, police presence was scaled down to near non-existent levels. Some organizers believe lack of police presence can be attributed to how much safer the site has been since the occupation. Regina is known for having the highest crime rate in Canada, with prevalent assaults frequently taking place in the very park that Occupy Regina is now taking place in. However organizers claim Victoria park “has never been safer”. Since the occupy community moved in one week ago, residents state that the culture of mutual cooperation and safety seems to resonate with the greater community.
Bylaw officials continue to find ways to be a nuisance to occupiers. Beginning the first night, residents were instructed they could not tent in the park. In response, the group decided to move onto the paved, wind swept plaza on which the bylaw did not apply. The following day, instead of the population dwindling, it increased (and now quadrupled), and residents moved back to the park. City officials responded by cutting all electric power off to the park, and ordered occupiers to shift their tents to a different location every three days to protect park grass. Occupier Brandon says, “so we're kind of a nomadic tribe now”, with a collectively coordinated move taking place every three days to shift the tents a few feet from their previous location. In spite of such pathetic attempts at bullying residents, organizers say the the occupation still grows each day with new occupiers joining the community.
The sense of determination and commitment runs strong throughout camp residents, with the courage to hold ground and to withstand the cold winter months. As a young occupier explained defiantly, “they don’t think we can make it, but we aren’t going anywhere. The cold is nothing compared to the violent crackdown on protestors in Tehran and Australia, if you think about that for a second it puts it all into perspective”. The group hopes to begin winterizing their tents in the next few days and are prepared to “be here for the long haul”. Donations of warm clothes, blankets, camping gear, tarps, tables, non-perishables, and hot coffee are greatly needed and can be brought to the occupiers holding space in Victoria Park.
[note: photos marked with an asterix (*) are taken from Occupy Regina Facebook Page.]
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