Saturday, October 15, 2011

Occupy Toronto begins

Hundreds of protesters gathered and closed down Bay St south of King St beginning around 10am on Sat Oct 15, 2011 as the start of Occupy Toronto. The TD Canada Trust courtyard in the south-west corner of the intersection was the focal point of the demonstration. Further west on King Street is the Toronto Stock Exchange which will form a major part of the Occupy Toronto Monday morning schedule of events.

Police on hand were bicycle cops - no riot guys visible, and were very friendly. Protest remains extremely peaceful and someone even walked in the crowd and offered free hugs. I quickly hugged her while Tony I. took our picture.
Gradually the people filled the boulevards before finally spilling into the street. As the number of participants and media/photographers grew some in the crowd started giving speeches. The signs were plentiful and there were some that had been placed against walls, ready for people to grab and begin to join the protest. The protest was about a little of this and a little of that, with a lot of 1% and 99% talk.
In a short while the group started moving and the people crossed into the Bay and King Street intersection heading north. We learned that they intended to gather in St James Park. It looked like the police tried to minimize the incursion of the march into Yonge and Queen Streets and the flow of people happened on Adelaide Street. Once past St James Cathedral and streamed into the park adjacent to the church.

See more of the protest at Bay & King and the march through the streets after the jump.

CityTV cameraman and reporter
.
They got the whole world on their backs
The protesting family opposed to corporate greed! 
Native flags fly in the protest.
Pink CUPE flags fill the air at the intersection.
Toronto Bicycle Police keep an eye on the march.
Taking pictures on the march route with a pink mask at the ready.
Police block off the march from getting on Yonge Street.





James and Joe Fresh at King and Bay covering the protest - photo by Tony Iacobucci

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