‘Aggressive protestors’ force Saskatoon to halt encampment clean-up, city says
The City of Saskatoon said it is pausing its encampment cleanup efforts at the sites at 19th Street and Avenue K, due to protests that it said are acting aggressively.
Aggressive protestors forced the city of Saskatoon to halt the cleanup of two encampments in the city. The cleanup was scheduled to begin Thursday morning at two vacant lots located at Avenue K between 19th and 20th Streets. However, protesters attempted to halt the work, according to the city. They reportedly circled the crews' vehicles and climbed on top of the fencing, which was stacked on one of the lots.
The city stated that the Saskatoon Fire Department, police officers, and other partner agency staff were confronted by aggressive protesters who directed profane, derogatory, and vulgar comments at them. Workers present at the site on Thursday said that the majority of those involved in the protest did not appear to be encampment occupants.
The city acknowledged that its decision to pause the cleanup may cause frustration among residents, including students, families of students, and staff at the St. Mary's Wellness and Education Centre, who have been requesting assistance from the city for a year. David Fineday, a member of the Sweetgrass First Nation who lives in Saskatoon, spoke at a news conference at the encampment site before the city's announcement.
He expressed frustration at the protesters' desire to displace everyone, questioning where they planned to go. Fineday called for the city to provide alternative housing for those who would be displaced by the cleanup. The city of Saskatoon is currently considering its next steps for the encampments.
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