Occupy Calgary protesters get eviction notices

Police handed out 24-hour eviction notices Tuesday toOccupy Calgary demonstrators, a day after telling them to remove empty tents and otheritems left unattended on the protest site at Olympic Plaza.

However, it appears officers were not removing any items. Protesters were told their removalcould start as early9 a.m. MT to enforcecity blyaws.

Now, they're being told to remove all tents, bikes and other property from the public space across from City Hall by Wednesday or face court action and possibly hefty fines.

Bylaw officers were accompanied by a handful of police officers, some with video cameras.Officershanded out42 eviction notices.Some protesterslaughed and set fire to the piecesof papers.

On Monday, signs were posted at the site, telling protesters to remove empty tents or officers will remove the structures. The notices said violatorscould face fines ranging from $100 to$1,000.

An estimated 15 demonstrators were seen standing around Tuesday, holding flags. They said there wouldn't be any violence; theyjust want to talk to police or bylawofficers about theissues, in particular,homelessness.

Protesters may seek injunction

Protester organizers said they would be talking to their lawyer to see if they can apply for an injunction, CBC's Bryan Labby reported from the scene.

Demonstrators have been campingat Olympic Plazasince mid-October, when an international day of protest spawned from the Occupy Wall Streetencampment was held. Occupy groups are diverse and appear generally leaderless, and while each emphasizes various concerns, they generally are fighting against the gap between the rich and poor.

Protesters in Calgarywhospoke to CBC Newssounded defiant.

"If they want to come down here and start issuing fines then they're going to havebogged-down bylaw officers and bylaw judges because we're going to be fighting them all, because we have every right to be here," Chris McMillan said.

"I say [Mayor Naheed] Nenshi could bring all his force down here and push us out. We are not leaving until we are heard, the people's voice isheard. We are tired of being shut up and stuffed in the corner," said another protester, who gave his name only as James.

Elsewhere in the country, theCity of Toronto issued eviction noticesTuesday calling on Occupyprotesters who have been camping in a downtown park for more than a month to leave. The notice saysprotesters must remove tentsinSt. James Parkbetween 12:01 a.m. and 5:30 a.m. local time.

Occupy Regina is much smaller than it was on the weekend.Police issued bylaw finesto the remaining protesters in Victoria Park on Monday night and only a few now remain. Officials in Saskatoonfollowed through on the city'seviction notice andremoved Occupy protesters from Gabriel Dumont Parkon Monday afternoon.

New York police cleared outOccupy Wall Street protestersfrom their longtime encampment at Zuccotti Park in Lower Manhattan early Tuesday in a move that led to about 200 arrests, but lawyers say a court order will allow the protesters to return with their tents.