OCCUPY TORONTO

A PHOTO ESSAY

Laura Tuttle and Josh Allsopp

Occupiers in the park varied greatly in both their ways of life and their purpose for being there. Groups present included university students, first nations, the homeless, punk anarchist types, academics, artists, anda mixed bag of others. Purposes were varied but all were concerning some social or financial inequality.

The community has been criticised as an attraction for the homeless, suggesting it was to the detriment of the park. Occupiers see it suggesting it was to the detriment of the park. Occupiers see it differently, that they are actively accepting and providing a safe haven for those most in need. Meanwhile others are concerned by the damage to the park by the volume of people on the grass. Occupiers themselveshave brought it up in a meeting and discussed possibilities that included moving to a different location.

The movement seems to be characterized by a hardcore desire for horizontalpower and fairness to all people in every aspect where possible. Meetings and conferences are continuously being had around the camp, aiming for concencus on a huge variety of camp and purpose based topics.

The Occupiers have recently been given a city eviction notice. A resulting meeting made it clear the movement is unsure of it`s nextresulting meeting made it clear the movement is unsure of it`s nextmove, and as always a consensus must me achieved to move forward.In any case the people living in St. James Park have some difficultieslooming, in part the approaching winter How they can overcome them has yet to be seen.