Calgary Plus 15 users may see limited building-to-building access via skywalks in the downtown on Dec. 18, possibly connected to a planned lunch-hour “takeover” protest in support of Palestine.

LWC was provided a building notice on an upcoming Plus 15 “closure” that indicated it was connected to recent events happening in Calgary.

The message sent to tenants in one downtown commercial building mentioned that in the interest of tenant safety and building security, they would be limiting access to the Plus 15 bridge system. The correspondence does not indicate a specific area where access would be limited, instead referring to the network as a whole.

Further information provided to LWC indicates this note was sent out in response to a Plus 15 network protest planned for between 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. The Instagram account freetogetheryyc is promoting the protest as a “+15 Takeover.” They have posted a signup sheet to 12 Plus 15 locations in the downtown.

The Instagram post shows the Palestinian flag, alongside the intent to share stories about Palestinians killed in Gaza. Social media users attached to the post have used the hashtag #freepalestine to promote the protest.

Protest organizer Walaa Katoue said they wanted to have an “educational takeover” of the Plus 15 network, with an attempt “to humanize those who are unjustly dying” as a result of Israeli attacks.

“Each and every night, people who are concerned about the genocide in Gaza sleep fearing what news will reach us in the morning,” Katoue wrote in an email.

“This morning was no different; it seems every time we think we’ve seen the worst of it, the new day brings about news that is more heartbreaking and devastating than the last.”

Calgary has seen weeks of weekend demonstrations over the conflict in Gaza, which began on Oct. 7.

According to the building message, the Plus 15 access would be limited to cardholders only from Dec. 18 at 6 a.m. until Tuesday at 6 a.m. Further, the note said that the City of Calgary recommended this action.

On Friday, the City of Calgary said they were not recommending building owners take this action. They also did not reference or acknowledge any planned protest, despite LWC questions about the connection.

“The City of Calgary has not made a recommendation regarding limiting access to the Plus 15 Network to building owners,” they said in an emailed statement.

“The City of Calgary has recommended building owners review their individual development agreements.”

Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) Calgary redirected questions on the Plus 15 back to the City of Calgary.

Calgary’s Plus 15 policy

Initially, in response to LWC, the City of Calgary said they were not limiting access to the Plus 15 network outside of scheduled construction and closures. Those are posted online here.

As of Saturday, December 16, 2023, the only planned closures were around the Telus Convention Centre and the Glenbow Museum.

According to the City of Calgary’s Plus 15 policy, last approved in 2021, the individual development agreements outline the roles and responsibilities for things like maintenance, damage and security monitoring and enforcement, along with security infrastructure.

The agreements discuss public access, Plus 15 bridge connectors, Plus 15 walkways and other components.  Plus 15 bridge connectors are a portion of the Plus 15 bridge that are “located within the private property (from the edge of the property line to the property façade). This portion of the bridge is owned by the property owner.”

This is the portion where building operators could potentially interpret their responsibility to exercise their safety and security for the public.

The City of Calgary’s Plus 15 policy also broadly outlines safety and security on the walkway network. It states that security is required to maintain the safety and protection of the public.

“It includes patrols, enforcement and monitoring and shall be provided by the property owner for Plus 15 links to the satisfaction of The City of Calgary,” their policy reads.

“Property owner and manager rights to security enforcement are outlined in the Plus 15 development agreement.”

Katoue wrote that the potential for access to be limited on Plus 15s is “ludicrous.”

“It is ghastly to think they would like to further silence the voices of these innocent lives murdered too soon,” Katoue said.

“It is devastating to know they would prefer to go about their lives under the false security of ignorance, rather than to allow for those who wish to peacefully speak and spread awareness disrupt their peace.”

Katoue told LiveWire Calgary on Sunday morning that the signup sheet had been filled with people entering names of Hamas fighters and leaders. Katoue said they will be following up with the Calgary Police Service Hate Crimes Unit, hoping for their presence at the protest.

“As the lead organizer I don’t feel safe going through with a peaceful demonstration to humanize innocent civilians who were murdered, when someone is clearly equating our peaceful demonstration with known terrorists,” Katoue said.

“However, I refuse to be intimidated from exercising my Charter rights by ignorant Islamophobic attacks that are attempting to twist my truth.”