I was waiting outside a local coffee shop to start an action at TD bank, due to the provincial austerity budget to be implemented based on TD financier Drummonds Report. Apparently this targeting was not-so-secret* as I was approached by a police officer and asked if I was going to the bank protest or knew anything about it. I puff on my smoke and am quiet. He then tells me that there is a lot of pressure to arrest me on anything and throw me in the slammer. I put out my smoke and go inside when another cop is like "you going to the bank soon"? I sip on my coffee, cursing hippies and the fact that our plan is known. Still, I'm neither confirming or denying this. I get ready to leave and am with one other person, obviously I'm on time but other people are late. The bank manager comes out in a bright puke-green shirt confirming the fact that just 'cause one has money doesn't mean they have a fashion sense. He waves, and I pretend not to see him, despite the fact that his shirt glows in the dark. Some other people show up and we unfurl our banner and start giving a speech about why we are here.
We talk about what this new budget, made by a banker, means to single mothers, particularly with the cuts to the community start up program, which was put in place for women that need to flee abusive homes, people getting out of jail or people who lost their place and just need help getting on their feet. Several speakers give personal stories about what these cuts mean to them, and despite heavy police presence, we are handing out flyers and making our point. One officer comes over and asks if we will be peaceful. The discussion on the megaphone talks about the State violence of poverty, people dying on the street, the recent heroin epidemic that is making people drop like flies and other forms of state violence that are imposed on us. One speaker makes the comment "we are not the ones armed to the teeth you are". This highlights the role of police as a tool of maintaining the power of financiers like Drummons who make life-and-death decisions with the stroke of a pen.
Though most people passing by are in support, one bougie capitalist told us to fuck off and when Stacey was speaking about her experience of violence. A friend of the rich bougie guy stated that he would shove the megaphone up her ass and continued to threaten and intimidate her. Of course the police did nothing, demonstrating the fact that they are not there to maintain law and order but rather to patrol and control. The bougie then stated that since I know to read I should know better (I guess she never saw my blog lol, I may be able to read but my spelling and grammar suck) and insulted other protestors like they were stupid or some shit.
People continued to tell heartbreaking stories of what this budget means to them while Mr. Puke shirt was cavorting with the police and thanking them for protecting his establishment from the people he is screwing over.
After a while seeing that police were bored and not paying attention several people decided to enter the bank and give speeches and chant inside. The cops, caught of guard, were helpless to stop this as our message was brought to the financiers themselves. (I stayed outside)
I watched as another bank lackey, with a bright red cowboy hat (bad clothing must go hand in hand with banking) removed people forcebly despite the fact that in thier law only police can do this (I guess the law is not as equal as some would have us believe).
As soon as all the secret cops came out of hiding we left, making it very obvious that any institution or group that upholds austerity and the austerity budget is a legitamite target for economic disruption. This action was part of the province-wide actions against the austerity being implement by the liberals- and it's just the begining.
*despite the fact that organizors made it clear that there was to be no electronic communication on this subject one person who doesn't realize the seriousness of survelliance due to the fact the existance of a police state flies in the face of their pacifist ideology decided to put it on Facebook alerting the police and their capitalist financiers
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