Demonstrating change

Anti-Vietnam War demonstration c.1970.
Anti-Vietnam War demonstration c.1970.

It began rather innocently as a group of students naively wanting change. It was the ninth year of the war in Vietnam. I was in my second year at Ryerson. The U.S. National Guard shootings of four students at Kent State had just happened. On University Avenue in Toronto, we joined others whose agendas were wide-ranging. Some wanted world anarchy. Others were Americans burning their draft notices. Most were like us, just students wanting to change things for the better. Then, things went haywire.

“The police are on horses,” somebody shouted, “and they’re coming at us.” (more…)

Occupying minds, not parks

On Nov. 15 city officials delivered eviction notices to the Occupy Toronto protest site in St. James Park. A judge later stayed that eviction until the weekend.
On Nov. 15 city officials delivered eviction notices to the Occupy Toronto protest site in St. James Park. A judge later stayed that eviction until the weekend.

The comment was bold and brutal. The man on the other end of the phone was blunt and to the point. He pulled no punches. His voice was full of disgust.

“You’re lazy. You’re vagrants. You’re a bunch of hoodlums, drug addicts and anarchists” he said on the phone. “Get out of our park!”

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