Oppenheimer Park campers defy eviction order as deadline passes
Homeless campers faced 10 p.m. PT eviction deadline after Supreme Court ruling
Dozens of tents remained standing in Vancouver's Oppenheimer Park after the deadline to vacate the park came and went without incident on Wednesday night.
While many of the protesters have moved on in recent days, many in the park on Wednesday night said they would not be taking down their tents because they have nowhere to go.
Campers at the park in Downtown Eastside had until 10 p.m. Wednesday to leave, according to a B.C. Supreme Court injunction granted to the City of Vancouver last week.
As the deadline came and went the protesters gathered to sing together. When a couple of police officers did stroll through the camp, they were heckled by the campers.
Earlier in the day Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson says city engineering staff, park rangers and support workers have been on site at Oppenheimer Park all day finding alternate accommodation and helping campers remove tents,
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The city said over 100 people had already moved to shelters and housing units ahead of the deadline, including about 20 on Wednesday, and the process of relocating them would continue into Thursday, with shelters open earlier than usual.
Robertson said that police would be simply "standing by" to assist should they be required.
"The focus is to help people take the tents down by city staff and engineers and park, police are just there," said Robertson.
"The city has recognized with all these tent camps in the past that it does take time. It’s not a hard-fast stop. That’s never been the case with tent camps as the time expires."
Const. Brian Montague wouldn't reveal when police might move in, and hoped people will leave voluntarily.
"We don't want to arrest people," said Montague. "That said, those that remain here do run that risk."
The mayor called the discovery of a 69-year-old man's body in a tent early Wednesday at the park tragic.
Police have said the death does not appear to be suspicious, but an autopsy will be held to determine its cause.