1 November 2011, 7.00pm

Occupy Dunedin Resists Eviction

Dunedin City Council today signalled its intention to end the occupation of the Octagon by a group known as Occupy Dunedin. A letter from the City Council made it clear that the occupiers would be removed, after a trespass notice and final letter of warning were issued insisting that protestors leave by 8.00pm tonight.

Occupy Dunedin protesters insist that they will not leave the land that they have been occupying for the past two and a half weeks. “We have the support of the vast majority of residents of Dunedin, and support from around New Zealand and the world” said Occupy Dunedin spokesperson Andy Tait. “We have caused no harm, and have created an open forum for discussion in the heart of the city”.

Recent eviction attempts in Oakland, California and closer to home in Melbourne, turned violent and have led to accusations of police brutality.

Occupations throughout New Zealand rallied this afternoon in defence of Occupy Dunedin. Protestors from Occupy Auckland, who have been occupying Aotea Square since 15 October, plan to march on Auckland Central Police Station at 9.00pm tonight to express their solidarity with protestors in Dunedin and their frustration with police repression of peaceful protests around the world.

Joe Carolan, one of the organisers of the occupation of Aotea Square last month, expressed his astonishment at the proposed eviction. “We are calling for all supporters of Occupy Dunedin to join us tonight to defend the right to peacefully assemble and to object to the gross inequalities that surround us every day.”

With only weeks to an election, Labour leader Phil Goff yesterday expressed the concern he shares with the Occupy movement about the “greed and recklessness of the corporate world”. With growing concern about the issues that the Occupy protests are highlighting in Dunedin and across the world, it is clear that tonight the world will be watching.

ENDS

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