Occupy Quebec encampment remains

Quebec City officials have left the Occupy Quebec site afterremoving some items deemed to be a fire risk.

The tents on the site remain, but officials are stillasking protesters to remove their encampment atthePlace de l'Universit-du-Qubec.

Jacques Perron, city spokesperson, said officials moved in shortly after 8:30 p.m. ET tostart inspections of the site and to take away anything hazardous.

That so-called first step wasn't going to include the removal of tents, he told reporters.

"We hope that, voluntarily, they'll obey the order of the city and take down their tents," he said.

There's nothing prohibiting people from demonstrating or expressing themselves, he said, adding a public place isn't aspace for encampments.

It's unclear when the city officials will return to the encampment or what will happen if the protesters don't comply with the order to remove their tents.

Mayor Rgis Labeaume told the media Thursday morning the protesters would need to remove the encampment by the end of the day.

The order came after a fire broke out Tuesday morning near one of the tents set up in the Occupy site.

The demonstrators voted Thursday morning to remain at the camp even if police choose to intervene.

"We've unanimously decided to stay here because we're part of an extraordinary movement spreading around the word that is denouncing savage capitalism," Benjamin Cliche said.

"This here is a spot where citizens of the worldcultivated people who work and who have familiesare coming to express their indignation over the current system."

A post on theOccupon Quebec Facebookpage said the group planned to stay at the site and form a human chain. They also appealed for legal help.

They received official notification from policeat 2:45 p.m. ET.

Thenotice saysprotesters must dismantle all "dangerous installations" as soon as possible.

By 3:30 p.m. ET protesters started spreading their tents out in response to criticism from the fire department that the tents were hazardous because they were too close together.

The city said it was considering how to clear the space, but the use of force did not appear to be among the options being weighed.

"We don't want to turn them into martyrs," said Perron.

"We're not going to bust in there. We hope they understand our position."

He said the protesters have had ample timeto express themselves and make their point.

The grouphas discussed changing locations if they are forced out.Noticeswill be posted onits website.

The protesters have beenon the site since Oct. 15, when the Occupy Movement rolled out demonstrations in cities across the country.

There had been talk Vancouver might also force its protesters to move, but those plans have been scrubbed for now. Instead, the city's Santa Claus parade is being re-routed to avoid the protest square.

Hundreds of Occupy Montreal protesters remain atSquare Victoria.

Many of them joined an anti-G20 protest organized by the anti-capitalist group known as CLAC Thursday night.

Hundreds of people marched through downtown after gathering at Phillips Square just after 6 p.m.

The protesters expressed frustration withwhat they described asa focus on big business, not financial inequality,at the G20 summit in Cannes, France.

Organizers with megaphones listed off the names of Quebec millionaires as the march proceeded onRen-Lvesque Boulevardfollowing a brief stop at the Occupy Montreal camp.

At least one person set off firecrackers, but the march remained peaceful.

Police officers on bikes and motorcycles kept an eye on the crowd.

Before dispersing shortly before 8 p.m., someone lit an effigy of Prime Minister Stephen Harper ablaze.