MONTREAL - The overnight eviction of hundreds of 'Occupy Wall Street' protesters from New York's Zuccotti Park has prompted officials in several Canadian cities to warn protesters to move out, but not in Montreal.
A spokesperson from Montreal city hall says there are no plans to clear protesters from Victoria Square as long as the protest remains peaceful and those camped out respect public safety concerns.
Those who have spent the past month in downtown Montreal say they were dismayed to hear of New York police removing protesters from the location that started the 'Occupy' movement.
"I think on one hand, it is very difficult for a lot of people to accept that this demonstration is happening," said Jamie Richardson.
"We're kind of messy, breaking up that routine of people, especially in this area. They don't like that, but I think that is the point of having demonstrations."
Those protesting in Montreal said they planned to rally in support of their New York counterparts, but say they have no plans to leave.
In fact, they're getting ready to spend the winter downtown if at all possible.
Protesters evicted in many other cities
It's a far different atmosphere at other Occupy camps.
On Monday night in Regina, police issued seven tickets to people for being in a city park after 11 p.m. as they removed protesters from their camp, although some returned in Tuesday morning
Police and bylaw officers issued tickets on Tuesday in Calgary's Olympic Plaza, giving campers 24 hours to take down their tents.
Mayor Naheed Nenshi says that city council has agreed that it was time to move in on protesters.
Protesters say they hope to show that if as many tents as possible are occupied, the city will let them stay.
Toronto protesters gathered at a church to discuss the future of their occupation after city bylaw officers distributed eviction notices to those who have been camping at the site for the past month.
The eviction notices state that people are not allowed to build shelters or put up tents, and are banned from gathering in the park between midnight and 5 a.m.
The city of Toronto says anything left in the park after midnight will be removed.
Meanwhile in New York, the legal status of the Occupy Wall Street protest remains in limbo, as a court hears arguments on whether the city had the right to evict the protesters in the wee hours of Tuesday morning.
Hundreds of police officers showed up at the park at about 1 a.m. Tuesday and informed the Occupy protesters that they had to leave so that sanitation workers could clean the park grounds.
The notices given to protesters said the Zuccotti Park encampment posed "an increasing health and fire safety hazard to those camped in the park, the city's first responders and the surrounding community."
The protesters were told that they would be able to return within hours, but would not be permitted to bring sleeping bags, tents or tarps with them.
