> Date: Thu, 29 Jan 1998 03:07:36 -0500 > Subject: Student Squat > > Students in Jeopardy in Bank Squat > Report from Harrisville on the Web > http://home.echo-on.net/~command/action.htm > > The anti-Harris chants reached my ears as I strode through the > underground beneath the Commerce Court. As I took an escalator up to see > what was going on, I was not aware that a huge anti-Harris student rally > had just taken place, with thousands of students blocking King and Bay > Streets. It happened that some of the students decided to take their > case to the president of the bank and crowds streamed into Commerce > Court. To stop the crowds, police decided to lock the doors, and at that > point the students inside decided to squat and not leave. They felt > staying would highlight their protest against Mike Harris' Sixty percent > increase in tuition fees. > Fifteen riot cops suddenly appeared behind me as I rode up on the > escalator, and at the top I found myself in a scuffle with cops who > wanted me out. I pushed ahead and ended up in the press ranks, shouting > that I was with the press. A uniformed cop continued to hassle me but > later gave up, and I was pushed aside as a screaming female student was > dragged past me by the police. > A couple hundred students had taken over the North West corner of the > ground floor, an area with open Plexiglas windows that allowed another > crowd of protesters to watch from outside. Kiosks and ledges on the > marble walls allowed some of the student leaders to perch above the > reach of the police while others sat on the floor. The mood was very > hostile at first with some students shouting F--ing pigs. They were > angry about earlier arrests. > While I was standing with the press I commissioned a student writer to > write a report for me and he is still inside. Just after I did that the > police told the press ranks to move back to the wall as they were going > to advance for arrests. One squatter noticed this and shouted a warning, > then a police spokesman denied that they were moving in. To clear things > up I stepped forward and told the students that the police were going to > charge in and the press were in fact just stepping back for good photo > angles. > The police held back, a debate began between students who wanted to > leave because of fear of the police and students who wanted to squat > indefinitely. Those who wanted to stay won the vote, but people who > wanted to leave were allowed to do so. > The police would not allow water or toilet facilities for the squatters > so they decided to build their own toilet. This was done by using the > potted plants and taping protest leaflets and signs up to create a > private area -- or somewhat private as a lady in charge of a TV crew > said, "I definitely want a shot of that" and sent up a camera to get a > picture of people peeing. > The security cameras were and are taped over with protest stickers, > which is good since a police spokesman announced they were going try and > charge people in days after the squat was over. Undercover cops, some of > them taking photos and footage were everywhere. At some points there > were more police than squatters. > Even so the atmosphere got kind of homey at times. One of the kiosks had > a bank poster on it with a family and a big slogan that said I SEE OUR > NEXT HOUSE HAVING A BIG OLD OAK TREE....... > The mood started shifting from worry to jubilation as time wore on -- > students sang Solidarity Forever and tossed ripped bank flyers in the > air like confetti. I talked to a guy called D from the Dead Poet's > Society, a group that recorded a song called Down With Mike Harris and > has an album called Dangerous Days. D was acting as a sort of mediator, > trying to keep everyone happy. > For me worry took over for two reasons - it looked like the police were > going to get brutal and I remembered that I had just picked up > prescription drugs for my invalid ex-wife. These were in my bag and if I > were arrested the police would likely try to tag me for possession of > illegal drugs. The police spokesman also refused to say what had > happened to George Shepherd, a protester arrested earlier, other than to > say he was likely at 52 Division. They also refused to reveal what he > was charged with and this convinced many of the activists to remain > stubborn with the police. > I got out and talked to people on the outside. The police seemed to be > gathering in huge numbers so I went back for a tour of the underground > and got beneath the squatters. Standing behind a post I heard an > undercover man on a cell phone say they were going to move in twenty > minutes. He then saw me and called for someone to remove the trash from > the hallway. I ran out and mentioned to a student by the window that the > police might move in twenty minutes. Another said a huge number of > police with shields were at the side. A lady who stuck a note to the > glass passed this info to the people inside. They reacted by putting on > their coats and announcing they were preparing for the assault. When the > twenty-minute deadline ended all of the riot cops suddenly just walked > out and drove away. So it looks like they were going to move but decided > to leave it. Right now uniforms are on guard till the riot guys come > back. > An important point here is if the police had moved in it likely would > have been a disaster. With windows and potted plants and people up on > ledges, there could be serious injury. It is rather shocking that not a > single politician tried to bring about a peaceful resolution to this > squat. > I may go back later to check the situation. Some of the students wanted > to contact Councilor Jack Layton for help. People might try to get him > at Metro Hall, 55 John Street, Suite 207, Toronto, M5V 3C6, Phone: > 392-4060, Fax: 392-4120 > ------------------------ > 2:30 a.m. -part 2 > Students in Jeopardy in Bank Squat > Report from Harrisville on the Web > http://home.echo-on.net/~command/action.htm > > I returned to the Bank at one a.m. to find the protesters still inside. > Solidarity Forever is written in yellow tape on the sealed revolving > doors and some young women were up on the platform top of the doors > dancing. Others were dancing in the confetti of torn bank flyers on the > floor. The majority sat - in a rough head count the figure I got was 125 > people still squatting in the bank. They are surrounded by police who > are intent on arresting them when they leave. > At about 1:45 four of the protesters decided to leave, and as the fourth > person, Ben Donahue, emerged, he was jumped by police. The crowd outside > immediately charged the police, chanting Shame, Shame as they dragged > Ben to a paddy wagon. His distraught girlfriend is now at 52 division at > Spadina and Dundas, trying to find out if he is there and what he is > charged with. Police said they got him for an earlier assault, but they > can't be believed. Likely they pushed him and he pushed back at some > point and now they are trumping up assault charges. People outside and > inside are trying to rally support - they need people at King and Bay. > If they leave they all have to leave together, to try and weaken the > police. Supporters should try to get to King and Bay, Commerce Court, by > early morning. People outside the bank worry the police and Commerce > security. They don't want to make a mass riot arrest while under > scrutiny. Anyone who can get to the police or 52 division to help those > who will be arrested should do so. Without a doubt the police will grab > a good lot of people in the morning and jail them. The number to file a > complaint against Toronto Police is 416 326 1189. People who want to > help could try phoning there and demanding information on those > arrested.
