The deputy mayor has predicted it will be difficult to avoid arrests when the city moves in to clear St. James Park of the Occupy Toronto protest, an operation that could begin as early as midnight Tuesday.
Deputy Mayor Doug Holyday held a press conference at city hall early Tuesday afternoon, even as police were posting eviction letters on the occupiers’ tents a few blocks away. Holyday, who was joined by chair of the parks committee Councillor Norm Kelly, wouldn’t rule out the possibility of police forcibly removing protesters who didn’t comply with orders to vacate.
“We’re still hoping that the majority of the people will leave and that there won’t be any violence down there and there won’t be any arrests,” he said. “That’s probably a tall order, but that’s what we’re hoping for.”
The eviction notices were not unexpected. Mayor Rob Ford and City Manager Joe Penachetti both said last week they were planning to take action against Occupy Toronto in the coming days, and efforts to clear out Toronto’s occupation began hours after police moved in on the original Occupy Wall Street encampment in New York City Tuesday morning.
Holyday and Kelly did their best to defuse a potential standoff with the protesters, going so far as to pay compliments to the occupation.
“I want to preface any further remarks by thanking the occupiers for respecting the botanical garden near the south end of the park,” said Kelly. “I’m hoping that they’ll extend that sensitivity now to the balance of the park, and cooperate with the city and move out peacefully.”
Although the press conference was held in Ford’s office, the mayor, who is deeply unpopular among the Occupy movement, did not attend. Holyday said he was in meetings.
Kelly told reporters that the decision was being made to clear the park now because of “the public’s desire to reclaim their park” and the need to winterize St. James before the cold weather moves in. He couldn’t provide specific dollar figures about how much damage has been done to the park since the occupation began a month ago.
Echoing earlier comments by the mayor, Holyday suggested the Occupy movement has had ample time to make their point but have now worn out their welcome.
“I think the mayor and our staff have exercised great restraint and patience in this matter, and that’s because we’re trying to resolve this as peacefully as we can,” he said.
Speaking outside the mayor’s office after the press conference, Councillor Shelley Carroll commended Holyday for doing his best to de-escalate the situation, but said she was skeptical about the Ford administration’s justification for evicting the protesters at this time.
Occupiers “have their own agricultural committee with resources, and have already agreed to (re-sod) the park … to make sure in the spring it’s ready to go” she said. “So I’m not sure that the parks and environment argument is there.”
Carroll suggested the city should have delayed making a decision about the protesters at least until after Friday, when a community consultation between local residents and occupiers as well as an “Occupied Economies” forum are scheduled to take place.
Meanwhile at St. James Park, protesters reacted differently to the eviction letters. Some were overheard saying they planned to leave for fear of being arrested, but at least one man sat in the park’s gazebo burning the eviction notices.
Some in the movement have said that there are plans to move to another location, possibly Queen’s Park or Nathan Philips Square. Holyday said that he hadn’t heard of such plans but asserted that “if it’s another city property we’re not going to allow that to happen.”
Supporters of the Occupy Toronto movement are planning a solidarity rally at St. James Park starting at 11 pm Tuesday night.
