Toronto International Womans Day
Stop War | 09.03.2003 04:08
Great day in Toronto. 7,000 - 10,000 demonstrate against war and for peace. Toronto's International Womans Day March and Rally were vibrant, loud and made me wish I'd have brought my own noise makers!
Acccording to organizers, over 7,000 people marched today in Toronto for woman's solidarity, peace, and against a war with Iraq. Me, an old fart of a lefty chatted up with a few International Socialists and guessed 10,000. But, who's counting?
The weather, a bit chilly, did not dampen the enthusiasm of the crowds that marched along Bloor St. From OISE to Yonge Street. The diverse crowd with organizations from CUPE, the Steelworkers, CAW, Iraqi Associations, Socialists, Peace groups, women's groups, and many students poured onto the street after a mass rally with at least 1,000 packed into the hall.
The long, long march down Yonge St. our main artery and shopping street in Toronto, to Gould was lively. Lot's of shoppers out on this trendy touristy street who waved and gawked. All along the march people with drums and noise makers got the crowd dancing and chanting. The police on bicycles were in full force, but smiling. (They all wore yellow sunglasses to match their yellow jackets..bzzzz. They looked like jack hornets that eat your food on picnics and sting you when you're not looking.)
Along the route many cars honked, and pedestrians who had no idea at first what was happening jumped in when mere babies waved to them, and joined us along the route.
It was a great day to be on a peace march, to be alive and to spread the word that we will not tolerate a war in Iraq.
Peace marches against the bloody terrorism of Bush, Blair, and Jean Cretien, also took place in Montreal, Ottawa and across Canada. They may have been smaller than on February 15, but they aren't really. We are keeping the pressure up locally by holding regular demonstrations, occupations, sit-ins and love-ins. Instead of one big day, we in Canada are holding many many demonstrations and are heating up!
If you're in Toronto on March 15, join me and thousands more on the next rally to be held Saturday March, 15th in front of the American Embassy, 360 University Avenue at 12:00 noon. It will be followed by a march to the Moss Park Armoury at Queen St. and Jarvis to join up with the Toronto Disaster Relief Committee rally for housing. Turn the armoury into homes. Homes not bombs!
And don't forget your signs, hats, revolutionary slogans, drums or makeshift musical instruments! We are the world. And we can run it better than these shitheads!
The weather, a bit chilly, did not dampen the enthusiasm of the crowds that marched along Bloor St. From OISE to Yonge Street. The diverse crowd with organizations from CUPE, the Steelworkers, CAW, Iraqi Associations, Socialists, Peace groups, women's groups, and many students poured onto the street after a mass rally with at least 1,000 packed into the hall.
The long, long march down Yonge St. our main artery and shopping street in Toronto, to Gould was lively. Lot's of shoppers out on this trendy touristy street who waved and gawked. All along the march people with drums and noise makers got the crowd dancing and chanting. The police on bicycles were in full force, but smiling. (They all wore yellow sunglasses to match their yellow jackets..bzzzz. They looked like jack hornets that eat your food on picnics and sting you when you're not looking.)
Along the route many cars honked, and pedestrians who had no idea at first what was happening jumped in when mere babies waved to them, and joined us along the route.
It was a great day to be on a peace march, to be alive and to spread the word that we will not tolerate a war in Iraq.
Peace marches against the bloody terrorism of Bush, Blair, and Jean Cretien, also took place in Montreal, Ottawa and across Canada. They may have been smaller than on February 15, but they aren't really. We are keeping the pressure up locally by holding regular demonstrations, occupations, sit-ins and love-ins. Instead of one big day, we in Canada are holding many many demonstrations and are heating up!
If you're in Toronto on March 15, join me and thousands more on the next rally to be held Saturday March, 15th in front of the American Embassy, 360 University Avenue at 12:00 noon. It will be followed by a march to the Moss Park Armoury at Queen St. and Jarvis to join up with the Toronto Disaster Relief Committee rally for housing. Turn the armoury into homes. Homes not bombs!
And don't forget your signs, hats, revolutionary slogans, drums or makeshift musical instruments! We are the world. And we can run it better than these shitheads!
Stop War