Michael Tutton - Two Occupy Nova Scotia protesters released from a Halifax jail Monday say they intend to fight charges against them and another says they are considering a legal challenge after police forcibly removed them from the park where they were demonstrating.
Miles Howe, 34, was cheered by fellow protesters as he emerged from provincial court after two days in jail.
Howe was arrested Friday as police took down tents belonging to Occupy Nova Scotia members in Victoria Park. He was charged with obstruction of justice.
He was arrested a second time on Saturday during a protest at Grand Parade, a nearby public square, while opposing the city's decision to dismantle the tents. He was charged with violating a release condition stipulating that he couldn't go to public parks.
"I plead not guilty to all of this," he said outside court. "There's no justice in this."
He said he'll return to court Thursday to ask a judge to lift restrictions preventing him from going to public parks.
Howe said he also plans to file a complaint against the Halifax police, alleging officers beat him twice.
"They acted like a goon squad," he said. "It's unacceptable behaviour."
Const. Brian Palmeter, a spokesman for the police, said officers believe they used reasonable force against those who resisted arrest as they attempted to take down the tents.
"We have no concerns at this point about the actions of our officers, but if someone has concerns they're welcome to bring them forward," he said.
Eric Antolick was also freed from custody Monday after he was charged with obstructing justice Saturday. The 23-year-old said outside court he also intends to plead not guilty.
"I spent the last month helping to feed and shelter a community of 60 people and now I spent the last two days in prison, which is not right and it's not just," he said.
Crown lawyer Terry Nickerson said another protester -- a 17-year-old boy who can't be identified under the Youth Criminal Justice Act -- pleaded guilty Monday in youth court to breaking the conditions of his release during Saturday's protest.
Nickerson said the youth was released after he was sentenced to time served.
The tents in Halifax were taken down under a municipal bylaw prohibiting overnight camping in a public park.
Kyle Buott, president of the Halifax and District Labour Council and an Occupy protester, said he believes the Charter or Rights and Freedoms that allows for peaceful assembly may trump the bylaw.
"We have a legal team looking into this," he said. "Luckily, some lawyers have come forward to offer pro bono work for us."
Shaune MacKinlay, a spokeswoman for the city, said Halifax's legal staff reviewed the order to have the tents removed and concluded the action was valid.
"We have a different point of view on the legal implications here and feel we acted within the appropriate jurisdiction of the city and the bylaw itself prohibiting overnight camping," she said.
Buott said Occupy Nova Scotia is now considering smaller protests or possibly another occupation of a public space.
So far, municipal officials have moved to shut down protests in Halifax and London, Ont. But elsewhere in Canada, Occupy protests are continuing.
In Winnipeg, about 15 protesters rallied outside the Manitoba legislature Monday, demanding the right to enter the building to warm up and use the washrooms whenever they want.
In Toronto, Mayor Rob Ford said the city will soon be asking scores of protesters who have occupied a downtown park for a month to leave peacefully.
Ford didn't give a date for when Occupy Toronto would have to leave St. James Park, but said: "It's going to happen soon."
The mayor said last week that businesses and taxpayers had been complaining about the protest against corporate greed spawned by the Occupy Wall Street movement two months ago.
