After being evicted in Edmonton, five Occupy demonstrators have taken their protest about 300 kilometres south to Calgary.
On Friday, five protesters from Edmonton started setting up tents in Olympic Plaza park which has been the epicentre of Calgary's Occupy movement.
Their migration came just hours after a Calgary judge reserved his decision on the city's request to dismantle the protest camp, leaving the future of the Occupy protest there up in the air.
Two of the new protesters had been arrested back in Edmonton, reported CTV Calgary. It's not yet clear why the demonstrators were arrested.
Just a day after their arrival, the Edmonton protesters had a run-in with a couple of Calgary bylaw officers who handed them $100 tickets for smoking in the park.
While protesters claim the constant presence of bylaw officers amounts to harassment, Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi said the officers are just doing their jobs.
"We have been absolutely enforcing every bylaw that has direct impact on the use of the park or health and safety with the exception of one – which is the overnight bylaw -- and that's because we're waiting for the court case," he said.
In late November, dozens of bylaw and police officers moved into Olympic Plaza to evict the Occupy Calgary demonstrators. While approximately 32 tents were lugged away, about eight occupants refused to leave the park.
Occupy encampments in cities across Canada such as Victoria, Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto were also evicted around that period of time.
Calgary, however, continues to wait on the courts to rule whether to evict the remaining protesters.
Regardless of what the judge orders, one Occupy Calgary protester said he's not planning on going anywhere.
"I'm wearing my Christmas hat for a reason," said Brent Talbot. "I plan on being here right through Christmas in the very least."
Bill Bruce, the head of Calgary's bylaw services, said he expects the court ruling to come down as early as Monday.
He said if the decision is in the city's favour, officers are prepared to start removing the encampment on Tuesday morning.
With a report from CTV Calgary's Kevin Green
