Occupy Calgary protesters entrenched in Olympic Plaza have put out a call for donations from the public, asking for medical supplies, toiletries and condoms. The group, which expanded from its city-granted camp on St. Patrick’s Island following a Saturday protest at Bankers Hall, posted the plea for supplies on Facebook as city officials kept a close watch on the latest annexation of public property.
Donations from the public have been coming in for the movement, which organizers say will be used to buy supplies such as food, but a plea has also been posted on Facebook for condoms, antibiotic ointment, gauze, hand sanitizer, hand warmers, toothpaste, toothbrushes and warm clothing among others.
The local action is an offshoot of Occupy Wall Street movement, which began as a protest motivated by the inequities of the U.S. financial system.
Several city departments, including Calgary Emergency Management Agency, Calgary Police Service and bylaw services, have been monitoring the situation at the plaza.
Ald. Shane Keating said council members have been given regular briefings at least twice a day since the demonstrators pitched their tents and occupied a portion of the public space.
Keating said the situation at Olympic Plaza is monitored on “day-to-day basis, even hour-by hour.”
“The essential make up of this demonstration is to occupy space to voice their concerns,” said Keating.
“The city has been quite reasonable in allowing this group of citizens to practise their free speech rights by providing space and very basic amenities at St. Patrick’s Island.”
During lunch break Monday, activists gathered at Olympic Plaza meandered through the temporary protest site, reading anti-corporation slogans.
While the city is honouring the rights of the demonstrators to assemble and express their opinions, it should be incumbent on them to also honour the rights of all citizens who wish to use Olympic Plaza, said Keating.
Sixteen tents have been pitched in the park, where more than two dozens demonstrators have been camping since Saturday night.
Sheehan Herlein, one of the protestors, said while the city agreed to allow the movement to camp on St. Patrick’s, protesters decided to occupy another spot to make their action more prominent.
He said it’s undetermined how long they’re going to camp at the public park to express their collective concerns.
“We want change in the way corporations and governments treat people,” he said.
“Right now they’re more focused on making profit and not the human well-being.”
Heather MacIntosh expressed support to the group by donating $15.
“As long as they keep things clean, safe, those are the things that everybody has to care about,” she said.
“It’s a public space, we can have lots of things going on,” said MacIntosh, pointing to school children playing nearby.
