Occupy Saskatoon group leaves park

Occupy Saskatoon protesters who've been camping out in the cold have packed up their tents.

About 10 members of the group who have been living outside for weeks were ordered on Sunday morning to leave Gabriel Dumont Park.

Thecity's order gave the protesters 24 hours to leave, before they would be evicted and their property taken.

Around 1 p.m. CST on Monday about two hours after the evictionnotice expiredpolice, firefighters and city crews arrived, and the tents started to come down.

The city says that with temperatures well below zero for a number ofdays, the situation had grown dangerous.

"Because of concerns relating to personal health, safety, and welfare in freezing temperatures, the city and all involved social agencies, can no longer in good conscience allow people to break the law and sleep in city parks," a news release from the City of Saskatoon stated.

The city said over the weekend, one person needed medical aid but did not want to cooperate with emergency workers, while another person showed signs of hypothermia.

Protesters 'distressed' by city's move

The protesters have been in two city parkssince Oct. 15 as part of the global Occupy movement that is trying to raise awareness about economic injustice.

In a release issued late Monday, members of Occupy Saskatoon said they are "distressed" by what they've described as misinformation from the city about the camp at Gabriel Dumont Park.

"We had hoped that, after our conversation with city council last Monday, we would engage in productive dialogue with the city," the release states in part.

"Instead, it seems our interest in discussion has been spurned, and we feel we have been abused."

The Occupy Saskatoon members said they had hoped to find permanent, safe housing for the city's homeless.

A similar protest continues in Regina's Victoria Park.