I love Toronto, pt. 4835
Posted by MoreCoffeePlease on 28 Apr 2009 at 11:25 am | Tagged as: Current Events, Toronto
I love this. After 48 hours of constant Tamil protests, in this TPS release we still have carefully neutral language, gentle concern for safety, “the co-operation of most of the protestors”, and a metaphorical shrugging of shoulders about the inevitable traffic tie-ups.
I didn’t check this morning to see if anyone was petting the horses, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see it.
News Release
Toronto Police ServiceTuesday, April 28, 2009 – 9:25 AM
Public Information
416-808-7100The Toronto Police Service has taken further steps to ensure the safety of the public and those participating in the Tamil community vigil along University Avenue.
See previous release.
On Tuesday, April 28, 2009, at approximately 7 a.m., with the co-operation of most of the protestors, police moved the barricades, that were in place, to the east side of University Avenue. This was done to ensure a safe environment for the officers, protestors and the public.
The Toronto Police Service is committed to working with those who wish to express their views in a peaceful and safe manner. Protestors are urged to use the east side of University Avenue.
University Avenue will remain closed from Dundas Street West to Queen Street West until further notice.
Police suggest that the public consider alternate routes, in the affected area, until further notice.
Traffic congestion on the roadways and within the transit system is to be expected.
Constable Wendy Drummond, Public Information
There are no files attached to this release.
http://www.torontopolice.on.ca/newsreleases/release.php?id=16286
Ah, the beauty of the sudden shift into passive voice…
Also interesting — some of the Tamils were waving American flags yesterday (haven’t checked today), because they are not actually protesting anything the Americans are doing, they just want them to get involved. The Tamils shut down Ottawa a week or two ago and got nowhere, so are now moving to enlist the help of the Big Guns.
Hearty cop humour from the Traffic Services Twitter feed follows:
# Southbound University now open come and enjoy the full open roadway!!6:13 AM Apr 30th from TwitterBerry
# Everyone should be driving on University northbound it really is good route! Lots of sights to see5:46 AM Apr 30th from TwitterBerry
# Northbound University is a graet option for traffic re-opening now. Come on over and drive on it. The more traffic the merrier!!!5:24 AM Apr 30th from TwitterBerry
So any organization, even terrorists (I know this is complex issue,but he Tigers are so defined by our government) can block any roadway…or airpoort access, or port?. Great was to garner sympathy for thier cause.
It was harmless, they were hurting nobody, and so yes: democracy says they get to inconvenience others a bit. I don’t think we’re guaranteed a life free from minor inconvenience in the service of public expression or protest.
Also, worth noting that a protest that inconveniences no one is 100% ineffective — if it’s not in people’s way, no one cares. Until the Tamils started blocking University Avenue instead of standing dutifully to the side, no one (myself, two blocks away, included) paid any attention to them; until they showed up on the Gardiner on a Sunday night (could there be a less busy time to occupy?) they — and the story they wanted to highlight — didn’t make headlines in Canada.
This idea that protests that take place in convenient, prescribed zones have any impact whatsoever is farcical. Much of the recent history of the world would not have happened if people had adhered to this myth. How it’s caught hold of the Canadian public, I really can’t fathom.
Also, on the “sympathy for the cause”, the Tamils have the math exactly right: for every 3 people they are pissing off, another one has now informed his/herself about the conflict and may even be contacting his/her MP’s office. Before they stepped the action, the ratio was 0:0.