#TorontoStrong vigil expected to draw 25,000 people
Posted April 28, 2018 9:23 pm.
Last Updated April 29, 2018 6:59 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is among the dignitaries attending Sunday’s vigil for victims of last Monady’s van attack in North York.
A walk is held along Yonge Street, one starting on the north side of Olive Square at Finch Avenue, and the other starting at the south side of Albert Standing Parkette at Sheppard Avenue and Beecroft Road. The two groups will meet up at Mel Lastman Square for the #TorontoStrong vigil.
Watch a live stream of the vigil on Citynews.ca and 680news.com here
Religious leaders expected to speak at the event include Willard Metzgar, Imam Refaat Mohamed, Pandit Suraj Persad, Rabbi Baruch Frydman-Kohl, Rabbi Yael Splansky, Venerable Dr. Bhante Saranapala and Eva Goldfinger.
As well there will be performances by Red Spirit Drummers, Toronto Jewish Chorus, Willowdale Choir, Metropolitan Community Choir, Toronto Children’s Concert Choir and Earl Haig Secondary School & Cardinal Carder Academy of the Arts choirs.
None of the dignitaries attending are scheduled to speak.
With as many as 25,000 people expected, members of the public are being encouraged to take public transit to the vigil as car access and parking in the area will be restricted.
Along with the Prime Minister, Mayor John Tory, Premier Kathleen Wynne, Governor General Julie Payette, federal Conservative leader Andrew Scheer, Toronto Police Chief Mark Saunders and Toronto Fire Chief Matthew Pegg are also in attendance.
The April 23rd attack left 10 dead and 16 others injured. The dead ranged in age from 22 to 94 and included a student from South Korea and a man from Jordan.
Police have alleged 25-year-old Alek Minassian rented a van and drove to Toronto’s Yonge and Finch area, where he began cutting a swath of destruction along one of the city’s busiest roads as well as nearby sidestreets.
Minassian, from Richmond Hill, Ont., is already charged with 10 counts of first-degree murder and 13 counts of attempted murder, and will face three additional attempted murder charges, police said.
Minassian is scheduled to appear next in court on May 10.
At least 12 injured people remain in hospital.
A fund-raising effort established by the city of Toronto had raised more than $1.7-million as of Saturday morning, less than $300,000 shy of its goal.
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8 women, 2 men among those killed in Toronto van attack
What we know so far about those killed in Toronto van attack
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