This is the audio from today's OCAP Press Conference held to speak out against police intimidation of community organizing against the housing crisis.
Speakers on the panel include:
- Bob Kellerman, Defense Attorney and member of the Law Union of C
Producer: Tom Keefer Uploaded by: Tom Keefer
PRESS CONFERENCE OCAP Office 10 Britain St. (south of Queen, west of Sherbourne) 11am Wednesday November 5, 2003
For over ten years, the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty has organized with poor and homeless people in the east-end of downtown Toronto to fight regressive government policy and the criminalization of poverty. As a result, OCAP itself has been criminalized, as the Toronto police attempt to stifle the legitimate protest and outrage of poor communities under attack.
On Saturday November 8th, OCAP and allies will take the fight for housing to the streets once again, opening an abandoned building for homeless people on the eve of winter, days before the municipal elections. The Toronto police have a long record of taking political sides in the battle over this eastend neighbourhood. Recent anti-poverty demonstrations have been met with the largest police mobilizations the city ever sees. Homeless, poor people and activists have been targeted, assaulted, and arrested. In the lead up to this action, homeless people have been intimidated and harrassed by police in attempts to keep people off the streets. It has been reported that the cops are saying to people at Queen and Sherbourne that 'all streets in the neighbourhood will be shut down' and shelters and drop-ins are being asked by police to close their doors for the afternoon.
We refuse to be intimidated by police while this neighbourhood is under attack. The housing crisis in this city is not a police matter, but a social problem to be addressed by the politicians, or in the face of their failure, by the community. On November 5th, OCAP allies will speak out against police intimidation of community organizing and political inaction on the housing crisis. On November 8th, OCAP and our allies will challenge both on the streets.
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