By Sheila Nykwist
Ryerson activists have toned down a planned protest in Toronto this Sunday citing fears of a crackdown on demonstrations.
Alex Lisman, RyeSAC’s v.p. education, said he expects there will be less tolerance for protesters and more restrictions in the wake of the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington Sept. 11.
“There will be a larger police presence at demonstrations,” Lisman said. “When faced by war, anyone who could be viewed as a destabilizing force is targeted.” This threat, along with the possibility activists would not be allowed to cross the American border, led to the cancellation of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) World Bank demonstration that was planned for this weekend in Washington.
Instead of an anti-globalization protest, RyeACT, a coalition of Ryerson students, unionized staff and faculty, will take part in a peace walk Sunday in Toronto along with other local activists. “A lot of people wouldn’t be for an anti-capitalist movement but will support an anti-war movement,” said Judy Rebick, a prominent feminist and political activist who spoke at the Mobilization for Global Justice (Mob4Glob) last Friday night.
The peace walk will leave from Queens Park at 1 p.m. It will stop at the U.S. Consulate on University Avenue and end in Nathan Phillips Square at Toronto City Hall.
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