The Occupation

On October 15, 2011, a large crowd assembled at the Vancouver Art Gallery to show solidarity with the worldwide Occupy movement. As the day unfolded, many individuals set up tents, transforming the gallery’s plaza into a campsite complete with a first-aid station, media tent, operational kitchen, and library. This unexpected takeover of public space in downtown Vancouver quickly attracted media attention and remained a focal point for 39 days. “The Occupation” chronicles the movement by focusing on the experiences of those residing at the Occupy Vancouver site. BCIT journalism students Rafferty Baker and Matthew J. Van Deventer captured the emergence and decline of Occupy Vancouver, from the initial tent setup to the eventual eviction of its inhabitants.