Shawne McKeown
Occupy Toronto protesters march to Queen's Park, Nov. 12, 2011. CITYNEWS.
Occupy Toronto won’t be calling Queen’s Park its second home after police and bylaw officers told protesters they couldn’t camp out on the grounds at the provincial legislature on Saturday night.
Some demonstrators among group that has been camped out at St. James Park at King and Church streets since Oct. 15 were hoping to grab the attention of MPPs by pitching tents at Queen’s Park.
Police told the protesters they couldn’t sleep there. They complied and dismantled their tents.
Earlier Saturday, more than 200 people marched from the "occupy" home base and made their way through the financial district on their way to Queen's Park.
“It’s about time for us to expand and we're coming here to this park. So a few of us came here last night and set up shop and a few more of us will come back tonight,” protester Jeff Ray said earlier in the day.
A lack of space at St. James Park also prompted the move to a second site.
“It's now becoming a hazard with all the tents getting set up closer to the sidewalk— with all the tent poles— just not safe at all,” protester Christopher Lamb said.
A general assembly was scheduled to take place at St. James Park at 7 p.m. Saturday to discuss the possibility of another march on Sunday.
Others said Mayor Rob Ford’s call for protesters to pack up and leave St. James Park spurred the change of location.
“[We] thought that as a backup to St. James, we would occupy a provincial land, Queen’s Park, which is not run by the city,” protester Jeff Wong said.
Police officers were at Queen’s Park when the protesters started pitching their tents Saturday afternoon.
Residents and businesses in the King and Church area have expressed anger over the noises and smells coming from the encampment. Many people voiced complaints at a neighbourhood meeting on Thursday.
Earlier this week, Ford said it’s time for the protesters to “move on”. He’s planning a meeting with Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair to discuss possibly evicting the protesters from the downtown park.
Fourteen people were arrested Friday when police dismantled an “Occupy” encampment in Halifax.
Police also removed tents from another “Occupy” camp in Victoria Park Wednesday in London, Ont.
Officials in Vancouver and Calgary have also said they plan to evict protesters.
With files from Anna Vlachos and The Canadian Press
Some demonstrators among group that has been camped out at St. James Park at King and Church streets since Oct. 15 were hoping to grab the attention of MPPs by pitching tents at Queen’s Park.
Police told the protesters they couldn’t sleep there. They complied and dismantled their tents.
Earlier Saturday, more than 200 people marched from the "occupy" home base and made their way through the financial district on their way to Queen's Park.
“It’s about time for us to expand and we're coming here to this park. So a few of us came here last night and set up shop and a few more of us will come back tonight,” protester Jeff Ray said earlier in the day.
A lack of space at St. James Park also prompted the move to a second site.
“It's now becoming a hazard with all the tents getting set up closer to the sidewalk— with all the tent poles— just not safe at all,” protester Christopher Lamb said.
A general assembly was scheduled to take place at St. James Park at 7 p.m. Saturday to discuss the possibility of another march on Sunday.
Others said Mayor Rob Ford’s call for protesters to pack up and leave St. James Park spurred the change of location.
“[We] thought that as a backup to St. James, we would occupy a provincial land, Queen’s Park, which is not run by the city,” protester Jeff Wong said.
Police officers were at Queen’s Park when the protesters started pitching their tents Saturday afternoon.
Residents and businesses in the King and Church area have expressed anger over the noises and smells coming from the encampment. Many people voiced complaints at a neighbourhood meeting on Thursday.
Earlier this week, Ford said it’s time for the protesters to “move on”. He’s planning a meeting with Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair to discuss possibly evicting the protesters from the downtown park.
Fourteen people were arrested Friday when police dismantled an “Occupy” encampment in Halifax.
Police also removed tents from another “Occupy” camp in Victoria Park Wednesday in London, Ont.
Officials in Vancouver and Calgary have also said they plan to evict protesters.
With files from Anna Vlachos and The Canadian Press
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