Lawsuit filed against City of Toronto, police over Lamport Stadium encampment clearing

Five people, who say they were assaulted by police during a homeless encampment clearing at Toronto’s Lamport Stadium Park on July 21, are suing the City of Toronto, the Toronto Police Services Board and four officers.

In a statement of claim, the plaintiffs say they came, along with many others, to peacefully observe and prevent the encampment residents’ homes from being destroyed in the clearing, but allege they suffered physical and psychological injuries from city staff and Toronto police.

Alleged injuries include traumatic brain injuries, concussions and post-traumatic stress disorder.

The lawsuit was filed by Ollie D’Agostino, Skyler Williams, Callista Durose-Moya, Keith Cameron and E.A., who were at the Lamport Stadium encampment on July 21.

Video posted to social media on that day show police scuffling with a line of apparent protesters who set up makeshift barricades around the encampment at the park.

Police were seen tossing some of the protesters to the ground and a woman can be heard screaming as police drag her from a group and handcuff her.

Warning State Violence: Today 5 brave people seriously injured during the violent Lamport encampment clearing on July 21, filed a lawsuit against the City of Toronto & Police. They demand justice and accountability . We need long term compassionate solutions to homelessness. pic.twitter.com/IcRAQM7SYA

— The Biking Lawyer (Dave Shellnutt) (@TheBikingLawyer) October 25, 2021

A release from police said three officers were injured and 26 people were arrested that afternoon.

Lawyer Dave Shellnutt, who is representing the five plaintiffs, says the arrests made at Lamport Stadium “privileged property over people and insisted on a continued movement toward forced displacement of poverty out of the city.”

It cost the city nearly $2-million to remove encampments at Trinity Bellwoods, Alexandra Park, and Lamport Stadium over the summer, angering protesters who frequently clashed with police while they evicted people who had been living at the parks.

The city also spent more than $790,000 to clean up the three parks, including removing debris.

Toronto city councillors Josh Matlow and Mike Layton put forward a motion to call for a judicial inquiry into the controversial clearing of encampments in October, but the motion was denied by council.

“Housing is a human right. We shouldn’t have to be brutalized to make this point clear to bureaucrats,” Durose-Moya said in a statement. “Homeless people and their allies are not criminals and shouldn’t be treated like them.”

The allegations have yet to be tested in court.