Tent city campers were just about to leave the Cattle Point area of Uplands Park Friday evening after the District of Oak Bay served them with a trespass notice Thursday afternoon.
Campers packing up and getting ready to leave Cattle Point #yyj #oakbay #tentcity pic.twitter.com/fMY6RQDvSS
— Oak Bay News (@OakBayNews) October 19, 2018
While pedestrians are still being allowed through, as of 4 p.m. vehicle access remains restricted at Cattle Point.
Vehicle access still restricted at Cattle Point as tent city campers prepare to leave the area #yyj #oakbay #tentcity pic.twitter.com/6LGg3vK0Kh
— Oak Bay News (@OakBayNews) October 19, 2018
Friday morning police said that although they were being patient – allowing campers the time they needed to leave the area – they were prepared to make arrests if campers took “too long” to leave.
READ MORE: Oak Bay police ‘patient’ but ready to make arrests if campers don’t leave
Police officers at the scene this afternoon said no arrests had to be made today.
A total of 17 campers spent the night at the site even though they were asked to leave Thursday.
Police blocked vehicle access to Cattle Point Friday morning and surrounded the camp in police tape to ensure no one from outside the group entered the camp.
The group of campers, who call themselves Namegans Nation, set up in Uplands Park Wednesday night.
They are a splinter of the large encampment that filled Saanich’s Regina Park from April until mid-September this year and have moved regularly since, under directives from both the provincial and municipal governments.
Its latest site was a piece of provincial land near Saanich municipal hall.
READ MORE: A year in tent city: Timeline of Camp Namegans
flavio.nienow@oakbaynews.com
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