Justice for Our Stolen Children camp dismantled in Wascana Park

The Justice for Our Stolen Children Camp, which was set up near the Legislative building in Wascana Park after two high-profile homicide acquittals, was being dismantled by authorities early Friday morning.

Regina police showed up before 5 a.m. and began bagging up peoples' belongings and supplies, according to one person camped out.

All structures were taken down except the teepee. The camp has until Sunday at 12 p.m. CST to take that down and vacate the park entirely.

Campers were allegedlytold if they did not help dismantle the structures and help haul away items, they could be charged with obstruction of justice.

"[This camp] has brought healing to many families that have not been able to find that kind of support anywhere else,"RobynPitawanakwat, spokesperson for Colonialism No More, said.

Pitawanakwat has been involved with the camp since the beginning.

"It is incredibly bizarre and in keeping with Canada's nature that during Aboriginal History Month and just days before National Aboriginal Day, while Treaty 4 and Metisflags are flying on the bridge behind us, this is when they decide to clear out the Indigenous people," she said.

Pitawanakwatalso said that the government would set meetings and not show up, but then show up when no one was around the camp to try and talk.

In a statement, the government said differently.

"Representatives of the Government of Saskatchewan and Cabinet have visited the camp multiple times and offered to set up formal meetings on many dates and in many locations. These have been refused," the statement read.

Ministers Don Morgan and Ken Cheveldayoff spoke to reporters about the dismantling of the camp earlier today.

Morgan said thecamphad been in operation for a long timeand had caused other events planned for the site to be rescheduled or moved. He added the park was neverintended to be an overnight campground.

"It was intended to be used as certainly people could go there, protest, exercise their rights as they see fit. But a campground is something that just can't be there on an ongoing basis," he said, noting issues like landscaping and watering the park also had to be considered.

Cheveldayoffsaid that ministers had attempted to arrange meetings with the camp organizers, but were unable to arrange times that worked.

"The offer we made to meet still stands."

Although others described the tone of the takedown as cordial,Pitawanakwatsaid it was not peaceful.

"There is nothing peaceful about removing families, Indigenous or otherwise, from land," she said.

"This is part of our history though. We are used to being displaced and that it continues today is horrifying."

GayleneHenry, a supporter of the camp, agrees.

"It's just another slap in the face to Indigenous people. When I feel unsafe to come back to my own homeland, to my own backyard, it's not a good feeling," she said.

"I'm sad to say thatI'm not surprised because this is just another knockdown in a long line of fights."

One of the campers, PrescottDemas, had asked a Justice Ministry official if it was possible for the camp to move to another part of the park but the official said that would still be a violation of aneviction notice.

Members of the camp have been in the park for more than 100 days.

Earlier this month, the province issued an eviction notice to the campers and hoped to have them off the lawn and out of the way in time for Canada Day celebrations.

The camp had been set up to protest perceived injustices against Indigenous people by the Canadian justice and social services system, while also drawing attention to broader societal problems in general.