Black Lives Matter Protestors Ambush Mayor John Tory at Reception

Demonstrators demand public sit-down and an end to police stop-checks.

By Christopher Reynolds Staff Reporter,
Published on Tue Feb 23 2016

Demonstrators with Black Lives Matter sidelined the mayor’s reception for Black History Month Tuesday, ambushing John Tory outside his office to demand an end to carding.

“We can’t walk down the streets without the police coming to us and violating us,” said protestor Alexandria Williams.

“This is a violation on our community.”

The groups carried placards rejecting a $27-million budgetary increase for police and reading,

“Happy Black History Month. Honouring Andrew Loku.”

Loku, a 45-year-old father originally from South Sudan, was gunned down during a confrontation with officers at an apartment building in northwest Toronto in July 2015.

Tory, lips pursed, listened to the dozen demonstrators, trying to interject at times.

“Carding…is not happening right now,” he said, which the group rejected.

“Every one of the issues we are dealing with. And we may not be dealing with them as fast as you would like but they are complicated matters,” he said.

The demonstrators also demanded a community sit-down with the mayor.

Tory walked away around 11:30 a.m. to chants of, “Black Lives Matter.”