STORY posted on October 23, 2011 by stanislavski
OCCUPY(ED) CALGARY
Kanada's Oil Capital gets Occupied x 2
Occupy(ed) Calgary, Blackfoot and Stoney Nation Territory - Olympic Plaza - “Front Line” and one of two sites taking place in Kanada's Oil Capital
Message to the CPD and “by-law officers” who regularly intimidate and harass occupiers at both Occupy sites
“By-law officers” like these two, make frequent visits to the Olympic Plaza site, afraid of geometric domes and jealous of elongated flag poles.
Solidarity
Homes Now
This sign overlooks over 40 tents set up by occupiers at the Safe Zone on St. Patrick's Island
A Public Notice from the Calgary Parks Board for temporary state sanctioned occupation on St. Patricks Island
Collective Camp Rules on St. Patrick's Island/Occupy Safe Zone. Residents and participating occupiers are expected to contribute to the well being of fellow residents.
Nicole, Ester and Bruce occupying their newly constructed cabin in the Safe Zone. Some occupiers hope to construct more permanent structures in the days to come inspite of possible eviction.
Message Board Occupy Calgary Safe Zone
I am Working Illegally (in the federal riding of Jason Kenney)
Surrounded by sky scrappers belonging to oil giants, anti tar sands sentiment is high at the Olympic Plaza occupation
One of 40+ homes constructed on St. Patrick's Island
Remnents of the '88 Five Ring Circus litter the Olympic Plaza where occupiers hope for something more.
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In a province home to the widest income disparity in Kanada, on the occupied land of the Stoney and Blackfoot nations, courageous folks have been occupying the belly of big oil since last week. In the riding of Kanada's most racist politician, Jason Kenney (minister of censorship and deportation), surrounded by the headquarters of big oil, occupiers have braved cold weather and police harassment in defiance of capitalism and the privatization of space.
Since October 15th, Occupy Calgary has set up camp in two different locations, Olympic Plaza, and St. Patrick's Island, both in several minutes walking distance of one another. Sentiments of pulling the reigns on capitalism to a halt at both sites, range from deep sentiments around the crisis of homelessness, to unemployment, to the despicable destruction of mother earth at the hands of big oil giants. As one occupier of the Olympic Plaza told us, “I'm tired of me and my family living pay check to pay check, this has to stop, that's why I'm here”.
The Olympic Plaza occupation, has been described by several occupiers, as “the front line” of Occupy Calgary. Its high visibility, positioned in the heart of downtown across from City Hall and the encroachment of office buildings belonging to Calgary's 1%, make it an ideal location for many residents and occupiers.
Police intimidation is frequent, and a recent “request” from the city to relocate to St. Patrick's Island has many at the plaza preparing for what could be an immediate threat of eviction. To many occupiers, visibility at the site is key, and the determination to remain and defy relocation is high. Police presence was scaled down since the start of the occupation. However, surveillance cameras hover above the Olympic plaza monitoring all occupiers present, and “by-law officers” frequently walk through the encampments intimidating and harassing residents. Earlier on in the week, Olympic Plaza occupiers were forced to take down a bamboo braced geometric dome they constructed, followed by accusations by the sheep of the state that it was “illegal to build a structure of that size”. Shortly after, to add insult to injury, by-law also forced occupiers to remove an intimidating flag that read “You are Beautiful”. Apparently city officials were intimidated by it's size.
City Council has attempted to find a number of pathetic reasons to evict the occupiers, ranging from the maintenance of the fountain and (nearly dead) garden sprinklers, to cleaning up fake blood from last week's zombie walk, to the most recent apparent conflict of space for the upcoming Islamic Circle of North America celebration, taking place this coming weekend. Despite Calgary Parks and City Council’s declaration of a supposed conflict over space with the ICNA, several occupiers confirm that the organization has declared solidarity in the struggle with them and stated that they are happy to share the space during their event.
A few minutes walk north east, is the St. Patrick's Island Safe Zone. This Occupy Calgary camp is made up primarily of residents/occupiers who are homeless, seeking a place of refuge from capitalism, police harassment and the big oil money that blares on both sides of the river it sits on.
One day before Occupy Calgary began, the Calgary Parks board contacted organizers and left a notice on the pedestrian walkway to the island stating that “relaxation” was in effect, and bylaw restrictions on camping, overnight use and open pit fires would be lifted until the end of the month on the vicinity of the island. Simultaneously, Parks Board bureaucrats went as far as having staff install a permanent fire pit on the island, and imported three portable toilets that were brought to the site by Calgary Parks Boards staff. Regardless of the gesture of state sanctioned occupation, homeless residents clearly fear the arrival of October 31st. The date marks when City bureaucrats have chosen to suspend their supposed generosity and return to enforcing all anti-homeless bylaws. The posted notice threatens that breach of the bylaw is enforced through “fines rang[ing] from $50 to $750” to “imprisonment”.
The island occupation/Safe Camp was orginally intended by organizers to be a space for families to demonstrate outside the more confrontational downtown plaza. As it turned out, many homeless individuals were already living on the island and in a day or two, joined the camp along with many other homeless folks. The camp infrastrucute and quick capacity to organize here is striking. The group collectively organizes a variety of "working groups", ranging from food, fire wood collection, admin/governance, to camp maintainenance, amongst others. Residents are expected to contribute in whichever way they feel most inclined, starting with a 10 am morning followed by daily tasks and site maintenance. A basis of unity and rules are posted at the front entrance of the site.
In spite of state "permission" for the island encampment, residents describe frequent visits to the site from Calgary's swinest, and a significant share of police and “bylaw officer” intimidation. Several homeless occupiers described being harassed and intimidated by police when they leave the site and being singled out by police for being visible organizers.
Despite both sites being threatened by imminent displacement, the collective spirit of defiance remains strong and determined. For more info on Occupy Calgary check out: Occupy Calgary. Donations of medical supplies, blankets, and food are in great need. Donations can be brought to either of the sites where they are distributed by organizers and residents at both camps.
The site for the Vancouver local of The Media Co-op has been archived and will no longer be updated. Please visit the main Media Co-op website to learn more about the organization.
Comments
please freeze to
please freeze to death
signed,
the 1%
blah
what a dumb article.