Protests and Rallies Friday June 25, 2010
Day of Action
The first Day of Action took place on Friday June 24, 2010. The difference between the Themed Days of Resistance and the Days of Action is clear. On Friday, the first Day of Action, there was the largest protest to date with a reported 2000+ protesters on the topic of poverty and a “2 out of 3″ level of police involvement. The Toronto Community Mobilization Network is the go-to point for all information on the meeting place, time and the expected level of police involvement.
The Globe and Mail website, the National Post website and Torontoist provided play by play coverage, allowing anyone with a mobile phone to send in photos, comment, or participate in “street teams” to weigh in. Large amounts of photos from professional journalists, and protesters were included in the initiative.
The protest in Toronto on Friday was organized by the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty(OCAP). Protesters gathered between 2:30 and 3 pm at the Allan Gardens and marched down University. Police, security officials and riot police flooded to the scene, the TTC was diverted and security gates were closed down. Reports and photographs of the Black Bloc surfaced, but the protests has largely been peaceful, with 1 to 2 reported arrests. Besides tension and some small skirmishes, little confrontation between the police and the protesters took place. The protest was rated at a 2 out of 3 in police interference.
According to news reports, the protesters did make a make-shift tent city in the park, with about 50 tents. Jazz and samba bands played into the night. Prominent activist and author Naomi Klein spoke last night at Massey Hall. A group of protesters reportedly also marched a second time, resulting in arrests, but this has yet to be verified.
Live from the International Media Centre
For the second day in a row, there was a morning bomb scare at the Alternative Media Centre.