Americas

Americas

Police clear Occupy Toronto with few detentions

23 November 2011 23:25 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. Police briefly detained several demonstrators at the Occupy Toronto protest on Wednesday as city staff and police moved to clear the park and end the five-week-long encampment, APA reports quoting Reuters.

Backed by a court order, police arrived at the downtown St. James Park at dawn and began removing garbage and unoccupied tents as some protesters screamed at them, some sang and played guitar, and others dug in for an expected stand-off and forcible removal.

Despite fears of clashes with police, however, the removal of structures was proceeding relatively peacefully by mid-afternoon.

"I think that we, as the movement, have acted really really well," said Occupy Toronto protester Krysti Allison, 29. "I’m really glad we haven’t had people who aren’t really involved in the movement who are just coming to stir stuff up.

"Individually, the police that I’ve spoken to have been really great."

Hours into the eviction, one woman was arrested for trespassing, police said. Protesters who witnessed the arrest said the woman had blocked a truck being used by police and city workers. Police later told reporters she had been released.

Police also removed several demonstrators from a central tent containing a "sacred" fire that has been burning throughout the occupation.

Several protesters, who had chained themselves to a barricade next to the camp’s library tent, agreed to leave after negotiating with police.

The scene, anticipated since a court upheld a city eviction order on Monday, mirrors developments across North America, where police are removing protesters from public spaces in an attempt to end Occupy protests against social and financial inequality that were inspired by Occupy Wall Street in New York.

Jennifer Stewart, 28, who works in a health center and has been involved in the occupation of St. James Park on and off since protest started on October 15, said she and others had been up all night anticipating the eviction.

"I’m really tired. I think a lot of other people are tired too," she said.

G20 SUMMIT COMPARISON

Union members supporting the protest helped dismantle some large tents that had been donated, and some demonstrators praised police for making their tents and gear available at another site rather than throwing it all away.

"The police have actually been quite cordial; this is unlike any eviction I’ve seen," said Darryl Richardson, 28, a protester who said he had been on site since the first day of the occupation. "The police are actually being co-operative in terms of helping us protect our belongings."

Dozens of uniformed police formed a line in front of the fire tent, but seemed intent on maintaining a low-key tone, dressed in yellow windbreakers and normal uniforms rather than riot gear.

Police reaction to the Toronto demonstration has been under scrutiny since day one due to memories of what was seen as a heavy-handed police response to protests at last year’s G20 summit in Toronto.

The Occupy protest has drawn criticism for the toll it has taken on the park and surrounding neighborhood. After five weeks, patches of mud and bare ground have replaced once-abundant grass, and pieces of cardboard and other refuse are scattered among the fallen leaves.

The court ruling had upheld city of Toronto bylaws prohibiting tents and shelters in parks and stating that parks must be vacated between midnight and 5:30 a.m.

Toronto is Canada’s largest city and the home of the country’s financial industry.