CANADIAN ANARCHIST MOVEMENT:
OCAP PLANS ALLAN GARDENS TAKEOVER THIS JUNE 21:
The Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP) is one of the premier examples of making the ideals of anarchism practical in the day to day world. The following is an announcement of one of their current efforts that will be coming up soon ie Saturday, June 21.
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ALLAN GARDENS TAKEOVER - JUNE 21st - 4PM
HANDS OFF POOR PEOPLE
PARK TAKEOVER
Saturday, June 21st
4PM
Allan Gardens (Jarvis and Carleton)
Free Meals
Stop tickets and harassment.
End the Safe Streets Act.
Food and shelter now.
The Mayor, the cops and the rich are pushing poor people out of the downtown core. The shelters are full but people are ticketed for sleeping in parks. In the past 2 years, we have lost over 300 beds and tens of thousands of meals. As we fight for housing and adequate income, we must have our basic needs met - we need food and shelter now.
As the oversupply of housing for the well off creeps into poor areas of the City, as a ruthless drive to push out the homeless gathers force. People are targeted by the cops who are dramatically changing the downtown core. Our corners are monitored by video cameras that watch us go hungry while the cops get budget increases. Panhandlers and other poor people are ticketed on an almost daily basis and at a rate that has increased nearly 300% in the last 3 years. This isn’t about catching ‘criminals’,it is about social cleansing – driving poor people out of the neighbourhood.
OCAP has taken the lead in resisting this outrageous situation. We held a mass panhandle in the underground 'Path' commercial network. We have taken delegations to City Hall to expose and challenge the neglect. We set up a special night of shelter to coincide with the end of the 'Out of the Cold' program. This laid bare the fact that hundreds more have nowhere to turn and must go back to the streets.
Nine years ago, in response to the homeless crisis, targeted policing and gentrification, OCAP held a Safe Park in Allan Gardens. Tragically, now nearly a decade later, things are even worse.
We will be taking Allan Gardens over and making it a safe place for people to eat and to sleep. We will hold the park as a place of safety and solidarity for people denied shelter from the wind, the rain and the cops. Come out and show your support for the poor people on our streets and demand food and shelter for all!
For Information, to make a donation or endorse this event please contact:
Ontario Coalition Against Poverty
10 Britain St.
Toronto, ON
M5A 1R6
416-925-6939
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