O16: Smashing Victory in Toronto

O16 Economic Disruption in Downtown Toronto a smashing success!
Quick report by a member of the YN Affinity Group

This morning (O16) thousands of anti-poverty, global justice, union, social justice, and First Nations activists converged in downtown Toronto and shut down its gigantic financial district. A series of snake marches maneuvered around blockades of riot police to shut down vehicular and pedistrian traffic in the district. By 8:00 am we learned that employers were encouraging people not to come to work today. We shut down the heart of Corporate Canada. By using the tactic of Economic Disruption we (probably) caused Canada\' s financial elite to lose millions of dollars (2 billion dollars circulates through the financial distict every single day!).

This was an amazingly successful event. At 5:00 am thousands of activist met at Nathan Phillip\'s Square (City Hall) for breakfast, music, speeches and preparation. While a number of activists were pre-emptively arrested for wearing bandannas, gas masks and bike helmets, the massive police presence failed to deter activists from assembling.

Around 6:00 am we were notified that riot police had surrounded the square and that we were effectively boxed-in. We were also notified that the large Montreal contingent (400 strong?) had been stopped and searched by the police en route to the square.