Protesters at the Occupy Vancouver site say they're undaunted by the dismantling of the original Occupy Wall Street camp in New York City, and allowed authorities to peacefully remove problem tents Tuesday morning.
Fire inspectors and Vancouver city staff once again toured the Occupy encampment on Tuesday, removing tarps and a small number of tents – including one that allegedly contained "biohazards" believed to be needles. The tour marked one month since demonstrators set up camp at the Vancouver Art Gallery on Oct. 15.
Authorities removed tarps from some of the tents last week, only to have them replaced days later as rainy fall weather battered the camp over the weekend.
Protesters, who were recently threatened that power and water to the site would be cut off if they did not comply with an interim court injunction enforcing fire safety measures, did not intervene.
Hours earlier, hundreds of police officers, including several dressed in riot gear, turned up in New York's Zuccotti Park to remove protesters. Police cited mounting health and safety concerns for the 1 a.m. surprise eviction.
Police initially said 70 protesters were arrested during the New York raid, though the city's mayor has said the actual number could be as high as 200.
Vancouver occupiers said they were disappointed to hear about the crackdown on the original Occupy Wall Street protest, but they do not expect to meet a similar fate.
"I would like to think… the government of Vancouver would respect the right to lawful assembly and understand the purpose of challenging government," Occupier Robin told CTV News.
If the city does order police to dismantle the camp, many have said they will practice nonviolent resistance.
"It would be counterproductive to become violent in a confrontation with the police, and would not advance the cause of changing the corporate control of government," Robin said.
Lawyers representing the city and the tent city will be returning to court Wednesday to argue over Vancouver's injunction application, which would give officials the authority to clear the encampment. The hearing is scheduled to last until Friday.
The City of Victoria applied for an injunction to remove its own Occupy protest on Tuesday.