Sep 29, 2021.

This year, I have been supporting anti-homelessness actions virtually, but after COVID-19 restrictions loosened and cases fell, I felt like it was important to show up in person to support encampment residents and the extreme show of force from officials in our city.

What I didn’t expect was that I’d end up profiled, frisked and wrongfully arrested by the Toronto police.

The morning of Sept. 16, protesters gathered outside Mayor John Tory’s residence to share their message. Organizers asked for volunteers to hold up signs with images of those who had been brutalized by the cops at an encampment clearing earlier this summer. I raised my hand, a small, but important gesture to show my solidarity and shed light on the city’s actions. As speakers stepped to the mic to share their statements, each of us took our place behind them. The crowd who had gathered was calm, receptive and supportive.

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