May 7, 2010 - TCMN responds to designated 'Protest Zone'
MEDIA ADVISORY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MAY 7, 2010
TORONTO— Toronto Community Mobilization Network encourages the City of
Toronto and Integrated Security Unit’s decision to abandon
Trinity-Bellwoods Park as a protest zone, but further rejects the
discussion or planning of any other protest or 'free speech' zone. Both
the city and the ISU are considering alternate sites to create a giant
protest pen to confine demonstrators. Such logic is indicative of the
undemocratic and authoritarian structures that the TCMN is organizing to
oppose.
“The G8 and the G20 create policies and structures that are creating
injustices all over the world. The entire planet is our protest zone,”
said Syed Hussan, spokesperson for the Toronto Community Mobilization
Network, which is coordinating demonstrations against the Summit in June.
“People’s voices cannot be limited to Trinity-Bellwoods or Queen’s Park.
We have the right to voice our opposition and anger. We have the freedom
to protest in our streets.”
Recent complaints from area residents and businesses have pushed the city
to abandon Trinity-Bellwoods Park. “Toronto residents had no choice about
the summit coming to Toronto, but we will be paying for it through our tax
dollars and with our freedoms to public space,” states Lesley Wood of the
TCMN, addressing the costly monetary and social impacts the summit will
have on Toronto residents.
Beyond the obvious violations on free speech and charter rights, issues
surrounding the G8 and G20 affect communities everywhere. Security
measures will be felt hardest in Toronto, especially in communities
historically targeted by the police. On May 5th, an 18 year-old was beaten
to death by Toronto police after being randomly pulled over and running
from police. Policing is bound to get tighter as thousands of cops from
the RCMP to the ISU ascend on Toronto streets this June. The threat posed
to people's rights and bodies must be monitored with mounting concern,
particularly when the cops are implicated in such odious acts while
proclaiming they are working to protect hard fought rights.
Although many of the demonstrations in June will likely take place in the
downtown core, groups within the network make autonomous decisions and are
planning events and protests all over the city. Organizers with the TCMN
are planning to accommodate thousands of demonstrators in June.
The TCMN is a network of communities, community organizations, NGOs,
artists, labour unions, and concerned individuals from Toronto and the
surrounding region that are joining together to oppose the undemocratic
meetings of the G8 and the G20 through protest actions and educational
events.
For more information about the TCMN or the organizations working with the
TCMN, contact Claudia Calabro or Natalie Caine at 647.454.2443
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The G8/G20 meetings took place in Ontario from June 25-27, 2010. Toronto-based organizations of women, people of colour, indigenous peoples, the poor, the working class, queer and trans people and disabled people organized a peoples convergence with 40,000 people taking to the streets, standing up for justice in collaboration and solidarity!
Activists, community members, inspired and outraged individuals came together as a movement to demand justice for people and the planet. Over a week of mobilizations, events, workshops and direct actions took place in the face of state and police repression, violence and infringements on rights and freedoms.
We must continue to mobilize and build greater solidarity among our communities- an important part of this is supporting all those arrested during the G20 summit, including our allies still in detention, and those released on bail.