HALIFAX (Thechronicleherald.ca) -- A strange thing happened on Saturday afternoon at Grand Parade.

Hundreds of people filled the square in downtown Halifax to protest the Remembrance Day eviction of Occupy Nova Scotia campers from a city park and to vent their frustrations at police and Mayor Peter Kelly. The crowd eventually dispersed and people went home.

Imagine that.

Demonstrators were not allowed to pitch tents and take up permanent residence on public property. In other words, they were treated just like everybody else who wants to promote a cause, commemorate an event, make a political point or denounce an injustice.

The occupiers say they were not dealt with fairly. Hogwash. For weeks, they were given extraordinary leeway, even though their takeover of Grand Parade was against the law. To squat outside city hall was always a privilege, never a right. Council revoked that privilege on Tuesday and the mayor acted on Friday.

The occupiers say the goodwill they demonstrated in making way for Remembrance Day ceremonies was not reciprocated. Instead, police descended on their alternate location in Victoria Park and uprooted the new camp before protesters could migrate back to Grand Parade.

All this talk of betrayal misses the point. The point is that the mayor should not have to negotiate with the occupiers. Neither should veterans who want to use the public square. Neither should any other citizens who want to enjoy it.

But the occupiers arrogantly believe that all comers should be forced to dialogue with them, not just now, but forever, since their demands were as unspecified as their departure date.

Want to go ahead with the traditional New Year’s Eve bash at Grand Parade? Talk to the occupiers. Want to hold your own demonstration? A candlelight vigil, perhaps? Talk to the occupiers.

Enough is enough. Police had received enough complaints about the campers and the city had spent enough money dealing with the occupation -- $40,000 according to the mayor -- that it was high time to end it.