Mayor Peter Kelly had police issue an eviction notice to Occupy Nova Scotia at noon on Remembrance Day -- showing a complete lack of respect and disregard for veterans who fought for the right of free speech and assembly, as well as lack of respect for Remembrance Day itself.
EMERGENCY RALLY FOR Occupy Halifax TODAY (FRIDAY) at 3:00pm at VICTORIA PARK (Spring Garden Road at South Park Street, Halifax).
I hope the media commentators who congratulated Occupy NS for so responsibily negotiating with the Veterans and HRM about leaving the Grand Parade temporarily will utter their outrage at Mayor Kelly's treachery and disrespect. Do we need a liar as Mayor?
I mainly use the word ignorant to describe someone who has no first hand knowledge of a subject but hears a "fox News" version of events and feels they can comment and have those comments taken seriously.
I was at the disgustingly inappropriate demonstration of State power yesterday at the Occupy NS site. I saw a large number of older people like myself who are fed up with this Mayor and Council and feel it's time for them to be accountable for their actions.
I also used to support Mayor Kelly as I saw him at every event I went to. Then I saw him make some very questionable decisions regarding the Commons Concerts. Then I watched him try to deflect critism for something that was possibly a criminal act of money mishandling.
Then I see a Mayor negotiate with the Occupy NS movement to move their camp to a place designated by the city with the understanding that they would move back after Remembrance Day. Out of respect to the Veterans they agreed, completely clean up Parade Square and move.
Mayor Kelly said that he didn't want to have the focus of Remembrence Day on the Occupy Movement, and Occupy NS agreed. So the question is why have the Police move in on a rainy holiday, focusing the attention of the media away from Remembrance Day and on to the Occupy site? Why have the taxpayers of NS and the HRM pay the overtime of 70 - 80 Police officers who were called out on a Holiday when it would have been less expensive and not as much of a political hot potato?
Why tell the Occupy NS campers that even though the order to evict said "End of Day" that they had to take down their tents in a brutal rainstorm within 45 minutes knowing that the Occupy camp had little resources to move their gear in that timeline? Why then immediately start tearing down the tents that were furthest away from the main tents although they said 45 minutes? Why arrest people who were trying to stop the Police from stealing their clothing, tents, private possessions?
Keep in mind that the Police were enforcing a bylaw that carried a ticket similar to a parking ticket if convicted. Why did they need 80 police officers?
It would seem to me that with the dramatic increase in real crimes, shootings, stabbings, swarmings, that the police should have much better places to put their budget that may actually move them towards their "Serve and Protect" mantra.
The real questions about this latest fiasco are, who is really being protected and served. 99% of us would like to know.
At last, Peter Kelly has made a good decision... long overdue.
These moochers should get cleaned up, get jobs, and learn how to become productive members of a civil society.
One problem, though, is that most of these people are unaware of the VERY organized, very anti-Western freedom, and how determined their leaders are. I've seen the same dedicated "rent-a-mob types" so many times over the past few years... Always trying to stir up trouble.
i totally agree with you. It's a disgrace for the Council and Mayor to continue to mooch off the city. throw them out! They are always stirring up trouble.
This isn't your day. This is their day. Let the ones who have lost and the ones who have survived them have their day. You may have tomorrow.
Why send in the Police on Remembrance day?
What really is despicible is the attempt to use Canada's veterans as an excuse to justify illegal actions by members of the Occupy NS movement.
"...showing a complete lack of respect and disregard for veterans who fought for the right of free speech and assembly, as well as lack of respect for Remembrance Day itself."
Unless the Occupy NS tents are currently occupied by a meaningful number of veterans, the above statement makes absolutely no sense and is a rather offensive tactic attempting to liken the "protesters" activities (which seems to mainly include the use of some less-than-legal drugs) with the bravery and self-sacrifice that should be associated with veterans.
Also, I admit that I laughed out loud when I read the other comment on this page regarding Peter Kelly. I am constantly amazed that a mayor who truly cares and works tirelessly for his constituents is needlessly attacked so much by the people and media of this city. Unless you think that upholding and enforcing a by-law counts as "treachery and disrespect," (and if so, I hope you say the same about by-laws that don't affect yourself) please refrain from making the Occupy NS movement look even worse by saying silly things like that.
I had a lot of hope for Occupy NS, but thanks to these recent developments, the true colours of the movement have been shown. I'm out.
The Occupy movement does not do itself great service by making aggressive and questionably logical statements such as the one above, linking themselves to the veterans. You can stand on your own merit. It makes it too easy for others to label Occupy NS supporters as extremists who shouldn't be treated with respect.
It is shameful that the Mayor shut down the movement in this way. There were many other ways to negotiate that would have been much more respectful and would not have polarized the situation further - which it now seems is happening. The level of anger has just risen on all sides, which benefits no one.
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