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Just after 4 p.m. Friday, the tent city at Regina City Hall and its inhabitants were gone from the property.
In a tweet, 980 CJME reporter Nicole Garn said police had completed their walk across the the courtyard, moving the last of the people from the camp onto the sidewalk on the west side of City Hall.
The last of the gatherers are on the sidewalk. @CJMENews pic.twitter.com/raMAxemqDy
— Nicole Garn (@garnnic) July 28, 2023
Before the police started their walk, some tents came down and some people left the homeless encampment.
Police dealt with others who weren’t prepared to leave.
More people are being arrested, including another Mthembu brother. @CJMENews pic.twitter.com/qy8X9yJSU1
— Nicole Garn (@garnnic) July 28, 2023
Garn said some people were gathering up their belongings and leaving the camp, which popped up in front of City Hall in mid-June to raise awareness about homelessness.
Volunteers are helping take down tents. @CJMENews pic.twitter.com/M9Qs0i5UXA
— Nicole Garn (@garnnic) July 28, 2023
Others weren’t moving, however, so police started moving into the camp just before 1:50 p.m.
Police are looking through tents. @CJMENews pic.twitter.com/KIWeekuboh
— Nicole Garn (@garnnic) July 28, 2023
Police are ripping up tarps on City Hall. Volunteers are asking them to stop ripping them. @CJMENews pic.twitter.com/T1ZVkw6fL7
— Nicole Garn (@garnnic) July 28, 2023
Garn said tensions were starting to rise as police started their operation, with volunteers, residents of the tent city and others yelling at officers.
WARNING: Video contains strong language.
Police are asking people to move back. @CJMENews pic.twitter.com/ykOM1b65fB
— Nicole Garn (@garnnic) July 28, 2023
At around 2:15 p.m., volunteer Mandla Mthembu was arrested and led away from the courtyard.
WARNING: Video contains strong language.
BREAKING: volunteer Mandla Mthembu has been arrested and removed from the crowd. @CJMENews pic.twitter.com/h5kanq1ZkV
— Nicole Garn (@garnnic) July 28, 2023
Regina Fire and Protective Services said Thursday it would begin the process of decommissioning the camp due to safety concerns. The decision was prompted by a fire next to City Hall on Thursday morning — the third fire in five days at the tent city, according to the fire department.
Residents of the camp were given 24 hours to leave the premises, and that deadline arrived Friday at 1:30 p.m.
To prepare for the decommissioning of the camp, police blocked off the streets around City Hall to vehicle and pedestrian traffic. That included the east and westbound lanes of Victoria Avenue from McIntyre Smith to Smith Street, south to 12th Avenue.
In advance of the deadline, Garn said police had told the people who were vowing not to move that pepper spray would be deployed if they don’t leave.
BREAKING: the crowd has now been told that pepper spray will be used if necessary. @CJMENews
— Nicole Garn (@garnnic) July 28, 2023
Garn said volunteers were preparing for the police move.
Volunteers are putting on face masks and coverings in preparation for the potential of pepper spray being used on the crowd. @CJMENews
— Nicole Garn (@garnnic) July 28, 2023
Before the dismantling of the camp, Mthembu — a volunteer who had been helping at the camp since its creation — spoke about the previous 24 hours.
“People that know me here at camp and know me in my personal life don’t know me as an overly angry person, but I can say that what’s happened in the last 24 hours here, I’ve been pretty livid,” he told those at a rally. “This morning has been a real tough one to be here for and the conversations I’ve been having with people.”
More to come.