On October 5th, activists and homeless campers from the Nanaimo tent city broke into the empty Rutherford Elementary School building.
According to a GoFundMe account set up by the organizers, the ‘Schoolhouse Squat’ was meant as a protest against the BC Supreme Court’s decision to shut down the homeless camp (named DisconTent City) which has been present on Port Dr since May.
On Saturday, the RCMP Emergency Response Team arrested around 20 people who were inside the abandoned building. They are now facing charges of break and enter and criminal mischief.
Last of the protesters being removed by ladder provided by @NanaimoFire , no injuries, all arrested for B&E.Mischief pic.twitter.com/9h9Kq2slzg
— Nanaimo RCMP (@NanaimoRCMP) October 6, 2018
Before the arrests were made, the ‘Schoolhouse Squatters’ put up banners of “Fight 4 Homes” and “Fight 4 Justice” on the walls of the building.
The move was made to protest the court injunction, the resulting displacement, and the lack of affordable housing in the city.
“This squat is resisting the death sentence dealt to hundreds by the displacement of Discontent City and fighting against anti-homeless hate and governments that create homelessness,” reads a description on an event page created by activism group Alliance Against Displacement.
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