“Occupy Wall Street” movement hits Calgary
Posted Oct 15, 2011 3:08 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The “Occupy Wall Street” movement has gravitated to Calgary.
A small group — gathering under the www.occupycalgary.ca banner — held the protest Saturday afternoon, near Bankers Hall and Olympic Plaza.
Organizational spokesperson Paul Hughes tells 660News the group’s beefs can’t be outlined in a simple neat package.
“It’s a thousand-headed dragon, right now,” said Hughes. “It’s not a neat package. It’s not something that you can put in a box and put a bow tie on it. It’s a very, very, very complex. It’s a systemic epidemic, if you will, of issues. It ranges everywhere from the disparity between the rich and the poor, to health-related concerns, to homelessness, to poverty reduction and elimination, access to food, student debt. It goes on and on and on. I mean anybody who’s googled ‘Occupy Wall Street’ will just see a myriad of issues, like literally 10,000 issues.”
But Hughes added, it’s not enough to point out problems in present day society. Solutions have to be offered as well.
“We are trying to connect issues and solutions right now,” he said. “It’s not just about gripes and complaints. You’ve got to come forward with solutions. When you do come forward with solutions, it’s now incumbent on our politicians and those in the decision making capacity to listen.”
Around 400 people made their way out the event, which corresponded with similar movements on both coasts of Canada, as well as in Europe, Asia and Australia.
The Calgary protesters spoke out and brought signs regarding everything from corporate greed, better government representation and a controlled cost of living.
City police are pleased that the protest remained peaceful unlike some of the others around the world.
Duty inspector Craig Skelton said things went as smoothly as possible.
“There have been no arrests made in relation to this demonstration, the police will continue to monitor and assess movement throughout the next couple of days, but at this point, everything has gone off without incident,” he said.
Skelton added Calgary is a good example of meaningful protest, thanks to the peaceful approach of protesters combined with that of the police.
