Breaking: City of Toronto raids the AIR Collective, forces the group to disperse
Photo Credit: (Aidan Jonah / The Canada Files)
Written by: Aidan Jonah
The City of Toronto has enforced an order to the Afro-Indigenous Rising Collective, a group pushing for police abolition, to clear the premises of Nathan Phillips Square, which they have been occupying for the past three weeks. The Collective set up the encampment to demand police abolition in Canada, and The Canada Files was fortunate enough to do an interview with one of the organizers.
In a letter sent to the collective on June 30, the City of Toronto specifically demanded that the protesters “immediately bring themselves into compliance with the following requirements.” These nine bylaws are listed in the image below.
Police came at around 9:20 am this morning to enforce the bylaws, and force the collective to disperse. We spoke to an anonymous organizer, who said that the collective is attempting to disperse quickly and is packing up their items as quickly as possible. However, the organizer said police are “getting impatient and are pushing really hard to take our items and tents.” They fear that police may arrest members of the collective, if the group is unable to disperse quickly.
The AIR Collective is requesting for people to help demonstrate, pack and carry items, along with vehicles to transport the larger items.
“Our efforts to push for police abolition will continue regardless of this raid,” said the anonymous organizer, “We are not going to stop, and this will only further motivate members of the collective.”
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