In New York, where the so-called Occupy movement first began, they've now come to the conclusion that while protestors are free to protest, they are not free to take over a public park.
Here in this country, however, we're still figuring that out.
Yesterday, a New York judge upheld the city's dismantling of the Occupy Wall Street encampment, saying that the protesters' constitutional rights don't entitle them to camp out indefinitely.
The protestors are still free to protest in the park - they're just not entitled to live there.
Slowly but surely municipal officials in Canada are coming to realize that this situation can't go on forever.
Here in Calgary bylaw officers and police have been handing out warning notices to the protesters at Olympic Plaza, who now have until this afternoon to remove their tents
The Occupy, however, maintain that the Charter entitles them to remain in various public parks. But just like they've come to realize in New York, protesting is not the same as squatting. Nonetheless, protestors in Olympic Plaza yesterday were adamant that they were not going to leave.
However, these protestors aren't so friendly when it comes to counter-protestors. Blogger Cory Morgan was accosted in Olympic Plaza yesterday and was even told by protestors to get out of "their park". Since when did Olympic Plaza become "their park"? How ironic that these staunch defenders of Charter rights don't think these rights apply to others.
This is not their park. It belongs to Calgarians. All Calgarians.
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