Protesters Block Olympic Torch Relay
Posted December 17, 2009 7:01 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Hundreds of protesters stalled the Olympic torch relay in the heart of the city for as much as an hour Thursday, claiming the games will be staged on stolen land.
The protest started around 5pm at University Avenue and College Street, a standoff emerging between police and demonstrators as the latter approached Bloor on Yonge Street. But about an hour later, people had already started to disperse and – after a short detour – the torch continued its journey south.
A memo sent out by the Toronto Extinguish the Torch Committee outlined many possible reasons for the demonstration.
“The Olympics Torch is about colonial theft of indigenous land; corporate profit grabbing; ecological destruction, militarization and migrant exploitation,” it read. “We say: no Olympics on stolen Native land!”
“Toronto is seeing massive cuts to housing, social services, and increased attacks on poor, migrant, unemployed and underemployed communities. It is also hosting the 2010 G8/20 Leaders Summit and the 2015 PanAm Games, all projects to attack people’s sovereignty and self-determination. All attacks that we resist. Olympic Resitance is part of that struggle.”
Earlier in the day, the flame reached Yonge and Steeles on its way to the Sick Kids Hospital and Nathan Phillips Square.
Because of the delay, officials split the flame so both the children and those waiting outside City Hall would be able to experience the moment.
Two-time Olympic women’s hockey gold medalist Vicky Sunohara lit the cauldron at Nathan Phillips Square amid a big party and fireworks display.
Before the torch arrived in Toronto, it made its way through Oshawa, Whitby, Ajax, Pickering, Whitchurch-Stouffville, Markham and Thornhill Thursday.
Click here to see that route.
Nearly 200 torchbearers will take part in the three-day, 48 kilometre trek across the city. Father-son film directors Ivan and Jason Reitman was be among them – Jason is riding high with his critically-acclaimed movie Up in the Air.
Film director Deepa Mehta hoisted the torch in Toronto, along with Roberta Bondar, Karen Kain, and children’s rights activists Craig and Marc Kielburger.
Rowing sensation and three-time Olympic gold medalist Marnie McBean and 1948 Olympic hockey medalist Murray Dowey also took part in the relay.
The relay continues Friday from 6am to 8:45am and again on Dec. 19 from 10:19am to 10:37am.
Click here to see a detailed map of the torch relay.
