Tents at a central Edmonton encampment were torn down Wednesday, hours after a legal battle over the city’s practice of clearing the camps returned to court.
Lawsuit alleges city’s removal policy violates Charter rights
Tents at a central Edmonton encampment were torn down Wednesday, hours after a legal battle over the city’s practice of clearing the camps returned to court.
On Wednesday afternoon, police officers began dismantling the last of eight encampments the city had deemed too high-risk to remain standing.
Police officers and city workers in white hazmat suits patrolled a cluster of tents in the area that had been encircled with yellow police tape.
City workers in white hazmat suits could be loading tarps and tents into the back of a truck.
Arlen Plashka, from Saddle Lake First Nation, said being forced out his home in the camp was traumatic.
“I feel violated,” he said. “It makes me feel alone, because we weren’t doing anything — and I don’t have to tell anyone, it’s cold out right now.” The temperature in Edmonton on Wednesday afternoon was