RCMP moved in at a Nanaimo school and made arrests today, breaking up the Schoolhouse Squat.
Numerous RCMP officers including special tactical teams arrived just after 10 a.m. Saturday at Rutherford Elementary School where Alliance Against Displacement and residents and supporters of Discontent City homeless camp had been squatting since Friday.
School board chairman Steve Rae thanked RCMP for their quick action.
91裸聊视频淲e understand and acknowledge and respect that there91裸聊视频檚 a homeless problem in this province and we want to help where we can with homeless people. But this is something that is completely different,91裸聊视频� Rae said. 91裸聊视频淭his is a group of people who have broken onto our property that91裸聊视频檚 not been supportive of the real cause, which is homelessness.91裸聊视频�
Though the school closed last June, the school board chairman said 91裸聊视频渋t91裸聊视频檚 not for them (squatters) to break into a school building that is owned by the school district, to use for their causes. We will not stand for this.91裸聊视频�
Rae said he hopes there will be consequences.
91裸聊视频淲e are going to have them removed from this property as we91裸聊视频檙e doing right now and we91裸聊视频檙e going to charge them with everything we can so this stops,91裸聊视频� he said.
Nanaimo RCMP spokesman Const. Gary O91裸聊视频橞rien said 26 people were arrested and taken into custody.
91裸聊视频淏reak-and-enter and mischief at this point,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淭here may be secondary charges based on whatever background they have.91裸聊视频�
He said any resistance to the arrests was not enough to be concerning to police and wouldn91裸聊视频檛 result in additional charges.
91裸聊视频淚t went very well. It was quite smooth,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e quite impressed with the fact that within 24 hours of the initial complaint, we had 26 in custody and the situation dealt with.91裸聊视频�
O91裸聊视频橞rien said there were about 40-50 members at the scene Saturday. In addition to general duty officers, there were members of the Vancouver Island Tactical Response Team, Vancouver Island Emergency Response Team, Police Dog Services and forensic ident.
He said the school district was assessing damage to the school.
Amber McGrath, Discontent City supporter, was observing the arrests Saturday and said 91裸聊视频渋t91裸聊视频檚 heartbreaking91裸聊视频� to see.
91裸聊视频淭he people in that building are fighting for everybody in Nanaimo and across the province and the country to have affordable housing and I don91裸聊视频檛 think that91裸聊视频檚 an unfair thing to fight for,91裸聊视频� she said.
She referenced the 170 units of supportive housing announced by B.C. Housing on Friday and suggested that91裸聊视频檚 not a satisfactory solution when it91裸聊视频檚 affordable housing that91裸聊视频檚 needed.
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 temporary shelters. It91裸聊视频檚 not a home. An 8-by-10 cell in a trailer without a kitchen isn91裸聊视频檛 a home; 24-hour wraparound services is a prison,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淭hen they say that, that means that you have to take those services whether you want them or not. It91裸聊视频檚 not attached to the individual, it91裸聊视频檚 attached to the housing.91裸聊视频�
She was asked whether Discontent City would be trying to identify another building suitable for squatting and said she didn91裸聊视频檛 know what next steps might be.
91裸聊视频淭here91裸聊视频檚 empty buildings when people are freezing. People are being put out into the bush to die when we have empty government buildings sitting here that people could be in and be warm,91裸聊视频� McGrath said.
There were arguments between Schoolhouse Squat opponents and supporters along Hammond Bay Road.
Squatters being arrested on top of Rutherford Elementary School91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频� Nanaimo Bulletin (@NanaimoBulletin)
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