Some photos of the protest outside Doug Ford’s all-night meeting to cut city council
Last night, Premier Doug Ford had Ontario’s legislative assembly pull an all-nighter to debate Bill 31, a piece of legislation that would invoke the so-called “notwithstanding clause” of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms in order to cut Toronto’s city council down to 25 members from 47, despite an earlier court decision that quashed the move on constitutional grounds. Hundreds gathered last night outside of Queen’s Park to protest the council cuts. Here’s what the scene was like.
The lineups to get into the public debate were extraordinarily long:
Protestors were chanting:
Louder chants from outside now.
“Whose House? Our House! Whose House? Our House! Whose House? Our House!”#onpoli— Robert Benzie (@robertbenzie) September 17, 2018
And chanting…
House has resumed as have the chants outside. "Cowards, cowards, cowards," the protesters yell. #onpoli
— Robert Benzie (@robertbenzie) September 17, 2018
Things were still rowdy at nearly 2 a.m.:
Thank goodness for coffee:
4am and we’re still here.
“We’ve got coffee, we won’t leave!” #ONpoli #TOpoli pic.twitter.com/e0A7JPJhrM
— Riley Peterson (@_rileypeterson) September 17, 2018
There was a heavy police presence:
Protestors left signs on the lawn of Queen’s Park:
Some of the signs that lay in front of Queen’s Park #ONPoli #TOpoli pic.twitter.com/6bw1ZYeDrh
— Travis Dhanraj (@Travisdhanraj) September 17, 2018
Earlier in the day, there was a petition encouraging Caroline Mulroney to stand up for the Charter:
Here are a few more signs:
This guy made a hockey reference:
This man worried about a slippery slope:
Someone showed up with a “Crybaby lefties” sign:
These people clearly put some work into their protest:
Sometimes simple is best:
Some kids were there:
Meanwhile, in Hamilton: