We are relaying an appeal for legal funding for 5 activists arrested in Toronto, from our friends and allies in Canada, Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP)
| Dear friends and comrades,We need help raising funds to support the women arrested on November 25th, 2014! On this day, an OCAP delegation of five women went to a Shelter and Housing Support office of the City of Toronto while a rally of hundreds gathered in the adjacent park. These women were demanding that the City act on its promises to reduce overcrowding in the shelters and, in particular, to open two 24-hour safe space drop ins for homeless women and trans people who face an especially high threat of violence on the streets.
The struggle for a 24-hour drop in space for women and trans people began in September 2013 when a woman was raped by two different men in one night as she slept on the steps of a community agency in the Dundas and Sherbourne area. After many deputations, meetings and rallies, the city promised that it would keep shelter occupancy below 90% capacity and open a 24 hour drop-in for women and trans people in 2014. Lamentably, efforts to open new shelter beds and a 24-hour drop-in were stalled and nothing was set in place for the Winter of 2014/2015. Ten days into January of 2015 four men died on the bitterly cold streets of Toronto as a consequence of inadequate shelter space. While the city has promised, again, to put the 24-hour drop in on the Spring budget, and create more shelter beds in 2015, this was not without We would greatly appreciate your support. Funding from your donation will go to support the legal costs of those 5 women who were arrested on Nov. 25th for daring to demand safe shelter, and decent, accessible and affordable housing for all. In the event that we surpass our goal, all of To donate by credit card or online banking, please go to our Go Fund Me page: https://www.gofundme.com/kc0i70 Thank you for all of your support, financial and otherwise. OCAP www.ocap.ca Twitter: @OCAPtoronto Facebook: facebook.com/OcapToronto |
