Taking over the courtyard of Toronto Police Headquarters in downtown Toronto, women used direct action and talk to raise the issues.
They reminded the crowd about the excessive use of force used on women June 3rd and subsequent refusals by police officials and Mayor David Miller to speak to them about the police action. At the same time, organizers restated their demands for housing for women experiencing violence and women from the group spoke of their experiences at the Housing Takeover and their experience of personal violence, racism and intersecting oppressions. They make it clear that they'll continue their struggle until something is done about their demands for housing as a right. "The government thinks and the cops think that if they brutalize us enough, that we'll back down in our struggle for safe housing. But they forgot that we come together because we're already survivors of violence and we've already survived that. And organized together to take direct action to improve our lives and gain safe housing," said one of the organizers. Along with the speakers, creative street theatre and poetry, as well as 'speaking out' by members of the crowd brought to life the reality of violence in women's lives, the multiple impacts of violence on women from marginalized communities and the lack of response and criminalizing of women survivors by police, systems and governments at all levels.
The rally and speakout at police headquarters was held prior to the first court appearance of four women arrested for entering the abondoned building during the Women's Housing Takeover.
At court, another date was set for a second appearance on August 10. To continue following this ongoing action or get in touch with the organizers, check in to the Women Against Poverty Collective website at: www.womenagainstpovertycollective.org |
