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香蕉视频直播檚 Alliance Against Displacement and Discontent City broke in on Friday before being arrested over the weekend.
Steve Rae, school board chairman, said he was 香蕉视频直播渁bsolutely mortified香蕉视频直播� with what he saw inside the school.
香蕉视频直播淭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香蕉视频直播檚 a big concern because it香蕉视频直播檚 rainy season; we香蕉视频直播檙e going to have to repair that quickly,香蕉视频直播� he said.
Rae said it appeared the squatters 香蕉视频直播渨ere planning on being there for the long haul香蕉视频直播� with a kitchen set up, cases of pasta, peanut butter, fruit, coffee, as well as 香蕉视频直播渃ases of unused needles,香蕉视频直播� 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.
香蕉视频直播淎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香蕉视频直播檚 on the education of our kids and that香蕉视频直播檚 the real crime here,香蕉视频直播� Rae said. 香蕉视频直播淥f course we香蕉视频直播檙e empathetic toward the people who are struggling with homelessness and addictions, but this is not the way to go about it.香蕉视频直播�
Laura Riach of Alliance Against Displacement said it was the RCMP who broke down the doors and said she didn香蕉视频直播檛 witness anyone inside ripping children香蕉视频直播檚 artwork off the walls.
香蕉视频直播淥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?香蕉视频直播� she asked.
Isabel Krupp, also from Alliance Against Displacement, said squatters didn香蕉视频直播檛 do damage to the building because it was intended to be a home.
香蕉视频直播淲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,香蕉视频直播� she said.
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Amber McGrath, Discontent City supporter, said yesterday she didn香蕉视频直播檛 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 香蕉视频直播渏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.香蕉视频直播�
RCMP arrested 26 squatters for break-and-enter and mischief on Saturday at Rutherford school.
editor@nanaimobulletin.com
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