A small rally of about 100 people gathered at Britannia Greenway in the Commercial Drive area. Where speakers spoke of issues relating to the G8-G20 and local issues:
Garth Mullins - On why oppose the G8/G20
Ana Linares - On Canadian mining corporations in Latin America
Grandview Park Defenders – update on the Stop the Redevelopment of Grandview Park Campaign
March to Clark and Hastings Port of Vancouver Transport Truck Entrance.
Speakers along the way, at the Port Gate, and blocking the intersection at Commercial and Hastings:
Bob Ages - Council of Canadians Richmond Delta Chapter
Eric Doherty - Gateway Sucks
Indri Pasaribu - on migrant justice and the G8/G20 No One Is Illegal
Lyn Highway - On Indigenous Salmon and Fishing and Movement Building
Many activists and community organizers in Vancouver are in Toronto right now. People here wanted to show support for our friends and colleagues, demonstrate opposition to the G20G8, and also demonstrate solidarity with the people in Toronto who supported the Vancouver anti-2010 Winter Olympic Games activities in February, where many people from Toronto came out to Vancouver or supported from out East.
During the march live reports were being given by someone over the phone directly from the streets of Toronto. Cheers went through the crowd as reports of 1000’s of people in the streets and police cars on fire and smashed store fronts were announced.
The march stayed at the Port for about 45 minutes blocking the intersection and the access bridge. During this time it was reported that the Port Authority had shut down the Port because of our presence. Because of the massive police presence, both up close and visible and also lurking in the roads and alleys around, the march moved to Hastings and Commercial and then back down towards the Drive. Despite reports of mass arrests, spirits in VAncouver were high and people seemd proud of Vancouver's contribution to and participation in Toronto anti G8G20 actions.
Marla Renn, closing speech at the march:
“We know that it is not just one area of our society where there is a problem. We know that we look around and we see poverty, we see people sleeping on the street. We see people in the world losing their homes because of rising sea levels. We see a lot of s**t, and we’re standing up here today to make those connections, to have groups that focus on one particular area coming together, holding a hand with the black block, with the people who choose to march, with people who go to the government and petition. We are coming together today for the same reason, ‘cause we say ‘No!’”
[on safety during dispersal] …we can see the full force of what Vancouver can bring out for us, not only helicopters, but vans loaded with pigs and we know that they want to take you out and take you down, so we want to make sure that we stick together…”
