BREAKING: City of Toronto attempts to intimidate AIR Collective into ending occupation of Nathan Phillips Square
Photo Credit: (Aidan Jonah/The Canada Files)
Written by: Aidan Jonah
The City of Toronto has issued an order to the Afro-Indigenous Rising Collective to clear the premises of Nathan Phillips Square, which they have been occupying for more than a week. 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 on June 26.
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.
Page two of the city’s letter to the AIR Collective.
If the AIR Collective does not follow the demands made by the City of Toronto, the document says, “the City may have no choice but to exercise its rights under the Toronto Municipal Code, at common law, and/or pursuant to the Tresspass to Property Act, R.S.O. 1990 c. T21.” Under the Tresspass to Property Act, a person who refuses to vacate the premises could be fined up to CAD $10000.
TCF spoke to an anonymous organizer. The organizer confirmed that the collective intended to continue occupying Nathan Phillips Square, they said “we knew what we were getting into when we came here [Nathan Phillips Square].” They said the peaceful image the City of Toronto is projecting is “a facade,” and predicted that the city would eventually resort to violence, to break up the tent community set up by the collective.
They called for allies to come out to Nathan Phillips Square and directly support the collective. If people are unable to make it downtown, they should donate to the AIR Collective’s GoFundMe or spread the word on social media.
The full letter from the City of Toronto to the AIR Collective has been attached below.
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