quote:

Originally posted by infinity HiGH I agree with everyone else. How dare they inconvenience my life! They should go protest in a forest or something. Or just go back to Sri Lanka and get raped and tortured like the rest of their people. Same with the Jews and Palestinians....and Indians, for that matter. Especially the Indians. They definitely need to go back to where ever it is they're from.

You're comparing the Tamil Tigers to the Jews, Palestinians, and Indians?

Jesus christ you're an idiot.

wow

so what's the latest? are they still there?

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Up to 2000 protesters from the Tamil community have completely moved off the Gardiner Expressway more than six hours after their impromptu march onto the highway, crippling traffic in the city on a busy Mother's day Sunday.

Organizers tell CP24 they have spoken with Liberal party leader Michael Ignatieff's office and that he promised to bring up the issue with caucus and look at political and economic sanctions against Sri Lanka.

The protesters say they are satisfied and will move toward Queen's Park where they will rally in support of a man on a week-long hunger strike.

People at a smaller protest at University Avenue and Dundas Street which shut down the intersection are also dispersing toward the legislature.

Police have not laid any charges.

The protesters --including women and children in strollers-- said they would not stop blocking the Gardiner Expressway until they met with a representative from Dalton McGuinty's office and got a promise for a clear course of action to stop the war in Sri Lanka. Teenage girls linked arms and stood face to face with police when the demonstration began at about 7 p.m. Sunday.

Earlier in the evening, police chief Bill Blair said his officers were prepared to work through the night to help clear out the protest. He warned that it could affect the Monday morning rush hour traffic.

He said police were not told the marchers would be moving onto the highway. He said they were working to get the demonstrators off the highway safely but the protesters weren't cooperating. He said there was a risk of people stampeding.

"Clearly there is a potential for a significant interruption to traffic that may go on for several hours and it could even impact tomorrow's rush hour," he said, calling the protest unlawful. "We're going to do everything we can to get them out of there as quickly as possible."

OPP, RCMP and officers from other police forces around the GTA were on hand to help.

The series of protests are in response to what they call a genocide in Sri Lanka. Toronto has one of the largest Tamil populations outside Sri Lanka.

In addition to the major closure at Spadina Avenue, police had also closed off the Don Valley Parkway due to overflow of cars exiting the Gardiner. CP24's assignment editor Katie Simpson was stuck on the Gardiner and said it took 40 minutes to move less than one kilometre.

"The Tamil people have a right to demonstrate, and there are some very serious things happening in Sri Lanka," Mayor David Miller told CP24. "But you can't endanger public safety," he said.

It took more than five hours for all the cars that were stuck on the Gardiner to clear out. Police had suggested drivers stick to routes north of the city including highways 401, 404 and 427.

Protesters told CP24 their move to the highway was impromptu. It is the first time the frequent demonstrators had blocked a major highway in the city.

The Taml community had staged a number of rallies outside the U.S. consulate on University Avenue s over the last few weeks. In one incident, the demonstration lasted four days. Four people were arrested at one on April 29, 2009, but they are generally peaceful.

There were early reports that protesters assaulted police officers, but Chief Blair would not confirm any injuries. Video exclusive to CP24 showed demonstrators throwing bicycles off the overpass.

Earlier today police shut down Bay Street between Queen Street and College Street because the protest spilled onto the road. At one point, they moved along Dundas Street near University Avenue, stalling two streetcars. They continued to move along Spadina Avenue on their way to the Gardiner.

Today's rally is in response to reports from a rebel-linked Web site that civilians have been killed in a massive artillery barrage fired into the northern war zone by Sri Lankan forces.

-With a report from the Associated Press

source

quote:

Originally posted by Anas Attia I'm sitting here giving my mom directions from the yanni concert

LMAO post of the year

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they have finally left the gardiner and I think it's reopened now. seems like they are headed to queen's park

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quote:

Originally posted by evil_cookie You're comparing the Tamil Tigers to the Jews, Palestinians, and Indians? Jesus christ you're an idiot.

LOL and the rest of this thread isn't idiotic? As if all these people protesting are terrorists As for the "organization" known as the Tamil Tigers. Sure they've resorted to "terrorist" tactics but then again who hasn't? Especially the Palestinians.

quote:

Originally posted by plaxx

is that the protest or just the line up of star trek fans dressed as klingons on their way to the cinema?

Last edited by Capo di tutti on May-11-2009 at 05:59

Does the Toronto police even own water cannons?? Im all for peaceful protest but not by crippling major infrastructures. You can bet your life that if this were a group of disgruntled CAW members or any other non ethnic demo they would have been beaten and pushed along by the riot squad... and rightly so!

The state seems to make normal actions difficult for its citizens but let certain citizens have free reign for outrageous behaviours


WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH THIS COUNTRY?

quote:

Originally posted by Yohan +1 as much as I want these guys to get a taste of tear gas and water cannon for public disturbance

+1000

quote:

Originally posted by phlog "I was stuck in traffic because of this protest. While it initially annoyed me, I was able to consider that, if someone is so desperate as to throw themselves on a highway to wake us fatcat westerners out of our gas guzzling, consumer good-induced comas, maybe the 15 minutes extra I spend in my car, considering the luxuries and privileges I have, are worth it. Just food for thought for those of you who can't bear to be inconvenienced from your meaningless routines to hear the echoed cries of people suffering around the world."

Ahhhh another typical left wing self hating nimrod with the luxury given from this well heeled country to think this way. Perhaps if this western country werent so fat cat, these protesters wouldnt have moved here in the first place?

Dont worry hippy hipster, Canada is on its way to becoming one of those nations you seem to envy.

Now just as an aside. Imagine if we had this much passion when it came to CANADIAN issues that affect us. Like fascist legislation and large tax increases?