After a weeks-long occupation of a downtown park abruptly ended overnight, a group of protesters are plotting their next move.
About thirty officers dismantled the Occupy Edmonton camp at about 4 a.m. Friday, days after the company that owns the park filed a trespassing complaint against the protest.
Nine protesters were in the camp when police arrived, although some were arrested for refusing to leave.
Three men, aged 27, 32 and 33, are each facing trespassing charges.
"I was sleeping, they came in, told us to leave, I refused to leave so they picked me up and carried me out," Protester Josh Sealy said Friday.
Police had given the protesters a few days to leave the park on their own; officers finally decided to move in overnight to avoid a confrontation.
"Part of the conflict we were worried about were things like this, where people who are protesting lock themselves together," Acting Inspector Graham Hogg said.
The demonstrators were briefly allowed back in the park to collect their belongings later Friday morning.
Police told CTV News the landowner Melcor has fenced off the park, and closed it to the public until further notice.
Melcor issued a statement Friday, the company thanked the police for their efforts – and explained the company felt it had no choice but to remove the protesters, amid mounting concerns for their safety.
Many of the demonstrators have vowed to continue their protest, and are holding a meeting Friday night to determine their next steps.
"We're going to continue to push to limit corporate influence over our political institutions, to decrease the cap between rich and poor, [and] to end environmental destruction in our province," Protester Mike Hudema said.
CTV News spoke to two of the three arrested protesters, and has learned they both plan on fighting the charges.
With files from Laura Tupper
