TORONTO – About 50 people turned out for an Occupy Toronto rally on Monday to mark the one-year anniversary of their former encampment in a public park.
Demonstrators with the movement met Monday afternoon in Toronto’s financial district and march to St. James Park, where they intend to stay until about 11 p.m.
In an online listing for the event, organizers say they aim to celebrate the tent village where they “found each other and began to build a movement for change.”
Protesters calling attention to what they viewed as economic and social inequalities set up camp in the park on Oct. 15, 2011.
They were forced to leave 39 days later amid opposition from city officials and some residents and businesses in the neighbourhood.
Officials cracked down on later attempts to camp out on city or provincial property.
“A year later, we’re just a little bit more aware of what that 1 per cent represents,” said Claire Hodgson, 30, a member of Occupy Toronto.
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