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EQUITY & HUMAN RIGHTS BLACK LIVES MATTER SHOWS THAT DIRECT ACTION ... GETS ACTION When Black Lives Matter demonstrators packed up their tent city outside Toronto police headquarters early in April, they set a 300-hour deadline to come back if their demands were not met. Less than two weeks later, their campaign had chalked up three important victories and inspired renewed solidarity between social movements. Under the banner of Black Lives Matter-Toronto, a coalition of Black community members, students, artists, workers and many others launched a peaceful “Tent City” occupation outside the Toronto Police Headquarters on March 19 to draw attention to systemic racism and demand an inquest into the police shooting deaths of Andrew Loku, Alex Wettlaufer and Jermaine Carby. The group was also responding to a recent City of Toronto decision to cut an annual AfroFest cultural celebration down to one day, from two. Within days of launching their campaign, the City of Toronto reversed its decision, but the Toronto Police Force and the controversial Special Investigations Unit appeared to be intractable in their decision to keep the circumstances of the police shootings shrouded in secrecy. After closing down their tent city action, campaign organizers staged a march on the Queen’s Park Legislative Buildings that resulted in a personal commitment from Premier Kathleen Wynne to conduct four public consultations across the city on the state of policing. However, the biggest win came on April 13, when Ontario Coroner Dr. James Edwards called an inquest into the death of Andrew Loku. The OFL supports these courageous activists in their demand for answers about recent shootings of Black men, as well as their call for broader systemic change. - OFL Executive Vice-President Ahmad Gaied Matter-Toronto, The OFL proudly stood behind Black Lives providing resources, publicity and support during their two-week encampment. All three OFL Officers visited the Tent City action. “The OFL supports these courageous activists in their demand for answers about recent shootings of Black men, as well as their call for broader systemic change to prevent any future loss of life,” said OFL Executive Vice-President Ahmad Gaied. “Black Lives Matter-Toronto has proven that peaceful direct action gets action.” The Black Lives Matter demonstration travelled to Ontario’s Parliament building from Toronto Police Headquarters, shutting down traffic on University and College streets. Photo: Toronto Star/Lucas Oleniuk 14 SPRING 2016 • VOLUME 6, ISSUE 2 PHOTO: CP/DOMINIC CHAN