Protest camp and provincial government face off in court

The lawyers for the Saskatchewan government and the protestors from the Justice for Our Stolen Children camp faced off at the Court of Queen’s Bench in Regina arguing over their right to stay or be forced to move.

Court will review two separate legal applications – one from the protest camp and one from the government.

Members of the camp, who have been protesting in Wascana Park since February, have filed a court application regarding six protesters being arrested on June 18. All six people were released shortly and never charged. The camp’s lawyer said the application is based on the protestor’s constitutional right to express themselves by camping out in the park.

On the other side, the provincial government has launched legal action against the camp and the Regina Police Service Chief Evan Bray.

The province’s application is seeking a court ruling to have the police enforce the bylaw against the camp, arguing the protestor’s occupation of the land gets in the way of the proper use of the public space. The court document filed by the provincial government states there have been numerous complaints about the camp and that to date the RPS “has taken no enforcement action.”

The government lawyer presented arguments first on Thursday morning, arguing that the province doesn’t have a problem with people protesting, but freedom of expression does not give protestors the right to take over public land.

The lawyer for the protestors argued the provincial government is trying to stifle free speech, saying the protestors are upset about things like the overrepresentation of Indigenous youth in the foster system and the justice system.

980 CJME reporter Lisa Schick followed the arguments from the courtroom.

Gov says this case is not about whether the protestors have an honorable cause, says it’s about whether the protestors can choose which laws apply to them. Says protestors have usurped authority over the park from the government

— Lisa Schick (@LMSchickler) August 23, 2018

Gov says commission is concerned about criminal activity in the park, even that which the protestors are victims of. Specifically mentions the man arrested for allegedly shooting fireworks at the camp in the middle of the night.

— Lisa Schick (@LMSchickler) August 23, 2018

…Camp lawyer says the case is about the right of the protestors to express their upset with these things. Says the gov is trying to stifle uncomfortable speech.

— Lisa Schick (@LMSchickler) August 23, 2018

Check back for updates on this story.