City staff, Occupy Toronto protesters meet

City staff, Occupy Toronto protesters meet

A poster depicting Mayor Rob Ford, reading 'Evict Ford,' is pictured in St. James Park, where Occupy Toronto members have been camped out since mid-October, on Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2011. (CP24/Cam Woolley)

City employees met with members of the Occupy Toronto campaign for over three hours Wednesday, a day after a judge put a temporary hold on the protesters' eviction notice.
The meeting involved city social workers and took place at St. James Cathedral, which is located next to the park the demonstrators have been occupying around-the-clock since Oct. 15.
Occupy Toronto delegates told CP24 the meeting, which ended shortly after 1 p.m., was facilitated by the Rev. Douglas Stoute, the church's dean.
"We talked about the vulnerable people in the park and some of the acute issues with them and we also talked about all of the socio economic issues going forward, so this was the first step in a dialogue that was requested over three weeks ago," Gerald Parker told CP24.
A judge blocked the city's attempt to evict the protesters, granting an interim injunction pending the outcome of a court hearing Friday. The judge will deliver a decision by Saturday evening.
Until then, the protesters are allowed to camp in the park, but no new tents or structures are allowed. Police continue to monitor activities at the park.
The city and Occupy Toronto members had a showdown Tuesday when bylaw officers handed out eviction notices to demonstrators camped out in St. James Park.
In a letter, the city ordered the protesters to remove their tents and belongings and, like everyone else, stay out of the park between 12:01 a.m. and 5:30 a.m. daily.
The city outlined several reasons for the notice – the protest has gone on long enough, others aren't able to enjoy the park because of the occupation, the park is being damaged and crews need to winterize it.
Within hours, a lawyer representing the protesters was in a Toronto courtroom seeking the temporary stay of eviction.
Meanwhile, demonstrators are planning to hold a march and rally Saturday afternoon, dubbing it "Evict Ford."
Participants are planning to gather in St. James Park at 2 p.m. before marching to Nathan Phillips Square in front of city hall. Motorists in downtown Toronto may encounter some delays as the group marches to city hall.