‘Aggressive protestors’ force Saskatoon to halt encampment clean-up, city says

The planned cleanup of two vacant lots in Saskatoon, located at Avenue K between 19th and 20th Street, was halted earlier Thursday due to aggressive protests from demonstrators. The City of Saskatoon reported that crew members attempting to clean the lots faced obstruction from protestors who circled their vehicles and climbed atop the fencing.

The Saskatoon Fire Department, police officers, and other agency staff were confronted by the protesters, who directed profane, derogatory, and vulgar remarks at them. According to the city, only a small percentage of the demonstrators were actual camp occupants. The city acknowledged that its decision might disappoint individuals in the area, including students, families of students, and staff at the St. Mary’s Wellness and Education Centre, who have been advocating for the city's intervention for a year.

David Fineday, a resident of Saskatoon and a member of the Sweetgrass First Nation, addressed a news conference before the city's announcement. He expressed concern that the city aims to displace all of the encampment residents and questioned where they would go. Fineday emphasized that people in the encampment are in survival mode and need assistance, suggesting that the city should provide alternative housing for those displaced by the cleanup. The city has not yet determined its next steps for addressing the encampments.