Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09TORONTO90
2009-04-30 17:52:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Consulate Toronto
Cable title:
Police Arrest 15 in On-Going Pro-Tamil Tiger Rally
how-toVZCZCXRO3718 PP RUEHGA RUEHHA RUEHMT RUEHQU RUEHVC DE RUEHON #0090 1201752 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 301752Z APR 09 FM AMCONSUL TORONTO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2799 INFO RUCNCAN/ALL CANADIAN POSTS COLLECTIVE RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO 0019 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 0031 RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI 0003 RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO 0041 RUCNFB/FBI WASHINGTON DC
UNCLAS TORONTO 000090
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CAN, SCA/INS, S/CT
HOMELAND SECURITY CENTER WASHDC
DHS PASS TO CBP
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PTER PHUM CE CASC CVIS CA
SUBJECT: Police Arrest 15 in On-Going Pro-Tamil Tiger Rally
Ref: (A) Toronto 52 (B) Toronto 84 (C) Toronto 86
UNCLAS TORONTO 000090
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CAN, SCA/INS, S/CT
HOMELAND SECURITY CENTER WASHDC
DHS PASS TO CBP
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PTER PHUM CE CASC CVIS CA
SUBJECT: Police Arrest 15 in On-Going Pro-Tamil Tiger Rally
Ref: (A) Toronto 52 (B) Toronto 84 (C) Toronto 86
1. (U) On April 29, Police arrested 15 demonstrators at the
Pro-Tamil Tiger rally that began on April 26 in front of the U.S.
Consulate General. The arrests took place during two separate
scuffles between police and groups of young men, occurring when the
demonstrators began to spill over police boundaries. Newspapers
report that the surrounding crowd of about 1,000 people began to
chant "release the protestors" after the first group of young men
was arrested, but remained peaceful. In all nine people were
charged with mischief and six with breach of peace.
2. (U) On the morning of April 30, police were able to push the
crowd, which had thinned out to approximately 40 people over night,
off of the street and onto the sidewalk across the street from the
U.S. Consulate. The move opens University Avenue, a major street in
downtown Toronto, to traffic for the first time in four days.
Police started to wind down the rally during the evening of April 29
by shutting down the generator powering the sound system. However,
even with the sound system off, drum beating continued into the
evening.
3. (U) The demonstrators, who currently number around 100 people,
continue to call on the U.S. Government to intervene in what they
call "genocide" being perpetrated by the government in Sri Lanka.
They are now behind police barricades on the sidewalk across from
the U.S. Consulate General. Local authorities will maintain a
significant police presence at the site, as a precaution in case the
crowd swells after the end of the workday. Throughout the
demonstration, Toronto Police Services and the Royal Canadian
Mounted Police have worked closely with the U.S. Consulate's RSO and
have been extremely helpful.
NAY
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CAN, SCA/INS, S/CT
HOMELAND SECURITY CENTER WASHDC
DHS PASS TO CBP
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PTER PHUM CE CASC CVIS CA
SUBJECT: Police Arrest 15 in On-Going Pro-Tamil Tiger Rally
Ref: (A) Toronto 52 (B) Toronto 84 (C) Toronto 86
1. (U) On April 29, Police arrested 15 demonstrators at the
Pro-Tamil Tiger rally that began on April 26 in front of the U.S.
Consulate General. The arrests took place during two separate
scuffles between police and groups of young men, occurring when the
demonstrators began to spill over police boundaries. Newspapers
report that the surrounding crowd of about 1,000 people began to
chant "release the protestors" after the first group of young men
was arrested, but remained peaceful. In all nine people were
charged with mischief and six with breach of peace.
2. (U) On the morning of April 30, police were able to push the
crowd, which had thinned out to approximately 40 people over night,
off of the street and onto the sidewalk across the street from the
U.S. Consulate. The move opens University Avenue, a major street in
downtown Toronto, to traffic for the first time in four days.
Police started to wind down the rally during the evening of April 29
by shutting down the generator powering the sound system. However,
even with the sound system off, drum beating continued into the
evening.
3. (U) The demonstrators, who currently number around 100 people,
continue to call on the U.S. Government to intervene in what they
call "genocide" being perpetrated by the government in Sri Lanka.
They are now behind police barricades on the sidewalk across from
the U.S. Consulate General. Local authorities will maintain a
significant police presence at the site, as a precaution in case the
crowd swells after the end of the workday. Throughout the
demonstration, Toronto Police Services and the Royal Canadian
Mounted Police have worked closely with the U.S. Consulate's RSO and
have been extremely helpful.
NAY