Cleaning up after the Schoolhouse Squat will be costly for a B.C. school district that could have used the money elsewhere.
Nanaimo Ladysmith Public Schools has had a chance to assess the damage to Rutherford Elementary School after squatters from Nanaimo害羞草研究所檚 Alliance Against Displacement and Discontent City broke in on Friday before being arrested over the weekend.
Steve Rae, school board chairman, said he was 害羞草研究所渁bsolutely mortified害羞草研究所� with what he saw inside the school.
害羞草研究所淭hey destroyed all the doors downstairs on the first level and barricaded them. They had put holes in the roof to hang their banners in the flashing and that害羞草研究所檚 a big concern because it害羞草研究所檚 rainy season; we害羞草研究所檙e going to have to repair that quickly,害羞草研究所� he said.
Rae said it appeared the squatters 害羞草研究所渨ere planning on being there for the long haul害羞草研究所� with a kitchen set up, cases of pasta, peanut butter, fruit, coffee, as well as 害羞草研究所渃ases of unused needles,害羞草研究所� other drug paraphernalia and naloxone kits. A machete and knives were also found.
Rae said he believes $100,000 is a conservative estimate of the damage, as the district will need to repair doors and the roof and says it will hire a hazmat team and additional security at schools.
害羞草研究所淎ll of this is a cost and all of this is taking away from where it was designed, where taxpayers expect we spend it, and that害羞草研究所檚 on the education of our kids and that害羞草研究所檚 the real crime here,害羞草研究所� Rae said. 害羞草研究所淥f course we害羞草研究所檙e empathetic toward the people who are struggling with homelessness and addictions, but this is not the way to go about it.害羞草研究所�
Laura Riach of Alliance Against Displacement said it was the RCMP who broke down the doors and said she didn害羞草研究所檛 witness anyone inside ripping children害羞草研究所檚 artwork off the walls.
害羞草研究所淥n a simple, logical level, if we were trying to convert a building into a home for 300 people, why would we destroy the inside of it?害羞草研究所� she asked.
Isabel Krupp, also from Alliance Against Displacement, said squatters didn害羞草研究所檛 do damage to the building because it was intended to be a home.
害羞草研究所淲e were there to take care of it and to put that building to use after it was abandoned by the government, by the state,害羞草研究所� she said.
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Amber McGrath, Discontent City supporter, said yesterday she didn害羞草研究所檛 know yet if tent city residents and supporters would attempt to squat at another school or empty building.
A press release from Alliance Against Displacement announcing the Schoolhouse Squat noted that 害羞草研究所渏udges have found that governments have an obligation to the public good that private landowners do not. Homeless people have stopped government injunction applications by successfully claiming that public property owners have a special responsibility to the public good.害羞草研究所�
RCMP arrested 26 squatters for break-and-enter and mischief on Saturday at Rutherford school.
editor@nanaimobulletin.com
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