Authorities clearing out tent encampment at Colonial Building
Police and workers in white suits and balaclavas began clearing out the tent encampment outside Colonial Building in St. John's on Friday morning.
The move comes two days after the provincial government posted signs around the encampment saying tents and unauthorized structure would be removed.
The signs included the phone number for the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation's emergency shelter line.
Reporters at the scene saw workers taking tents apart and putting personal belongings in plastic bags.
Police and workers collected items from around the site in garbage bags, loading them into a large truck.
Volunteers attempted to salvage items. Requests were made on social media by protest organizer Tent City for Change for people to help collect the camp residents' gear and personal items, and police allowed trucks in for people to gather the items and assisted volunteers in loading trucks.
Reporters spoke to organizer Tent City for change organizer Mark Wilson on the scene. He says that N.L. Housing and N.L. Transportation and infrastructure were also on scene.
Wilson described the police as providing an "intermediate role" and providing safety.
Now residents are trying to figure out where they will go.
"I'm really sad to see this resolved in this way," said Wilson. "There was no consultation with residents and we still believe that there's inadequate housing that people are being offered as their only solution.… I certainly wanted to see tent city end but I didn't wanted to see it end this way."
More to come.
