Occupy Vancouver: Photos from October 15

by Jordan Yerman | October 15, 2011 at 02:13 pm

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Occupy Vancouver: It's Getting Crowded

I stopped by the Occupy Vancouver protest, which is going on in front of the Vancouver Art Gallery, in the same plaza that was home to the Olympic countdown clock.

I was surprised by the relatively small number of police; there will probably be more arriving later in the day, or if the protest grows beyond the confines of the park.

The current working statement of Occupy Vancouver is as follows:

"We, the Ninety-Nine Percent, come together with our diverse experiences to transform the unequal, unfair, and growing disparity in the distribution of power and wealth in our city and around the globe. We challenge corporate greed, corruption, and the collusion between corporate power and government. We oppose systemic inequality, militarization, environmental destruction, and the erosion of civil liberties and human rights. We seek economic security, genuine equality, and the protection of the environment for all.

We are inspired and in solidarity with global movements including those across the Middle East, Europe, and the Occupy Wall Street / Occupy Together movement in over 1000 cities in North America. Injustice anywhere is injustice everywhere.

We humbly acknowledge that Occupy Vancouver is taking place on unceded Coast Salish territories.

We are committed to an inclusive and welcoming space, to addressing issues of oppression and discrimination, and to creating an environment where all the 99% can be heard and can meaningfully participate. We are also committed to safeguarding our collective well-being – including safety from interpersonal violence and any potential police violence."

The row of tents along the eastern side of the plaza echo the cost-of-living protest on Rothschild Blvd in Tel Aviv.

If you are taking part in Occupy Vancouver, or if you walked past as it was happening, you are welcome to add your own photos to this story, or create your own.